Endeavor Robotics, the military and security business that broke off of iRobot Corp. in 2016, said Friday that it had won a US Army contract that could pay it up to $158 million to provide robots designed to sniff out explosives and other dangerous materials.

The contract, which includes a $100 million first phase and an option for $58 million more, calls for the Chelmsford-based company to furnish the Army with up to 1,200 of the robots.

The devices weigh about 165 pounds, use tracks to travel, and will be more capable and rugged than the military’s existing fleet built for similar purposes, according Sean Bielat, Endeavor’s chief executive.

“These robots literally save lives. They keep a soldier, or a sailor, or a marine from putting on an explosives suit and going downrange to a place where there could be explosives, or secondary threats like snipers,” Bielat said.

Endeavor Robotics
10.10.2017