Hanwha Corporation in South Korea introduced a new modular 4x4 unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed to meet the future needs of the Army of the Republic of Korea (RoKA) in standalone tactical support platforms.

As part of the development of the Defense Robot Team, Hanwha Techwin (formerly known as Samsung Techwin) has created a 350 kg STAR-M4 designed to reduce the payload for the infantry by transporting their weapons and ammunition, critical equipment, food, water and medical objects on dirt roads and off-road. The prototype of this UGV was first introduced in 2015.

The vehicle has a modular design and can be adapted for various tasks. In particular, the sample presented in 2015 was designed as logistical support vehicle. Among the configurations that are being studied by the developers, representative of the company Kim Dongshin named such as the vehicle of armed intelligence and combat support, as well as a medical search and rescue vehicle for the wounded (SAR).

Regardless of the model, the vehicle is equipped with an electro-optical and infrared observation unit mounted on a telescopic mast, which should improve situational awareness of the operator.

The STAR-M4 platform is equipped with a 4x4 full drive, and all of wheels are controlled to increase maneuverability. It is capable of carrying up to 150 kg of cargo with a maximum speed of 12 km/h over rough terrain. In its current state, the vehicle is 2.3 m long, 1.35 m wide and 1.6 m high; It is capable of overcoming 60% gradient.

A high capacity lithium-ion battery supports up to 4 hours of continuous operation, while the electric motors of the machine generate a noise level of only 40 dB. The company claims that its low noise makes the car virtually invisible by ear from a distance of up to 7 m.

According to Kim, STAR-M4 has four control modes: remote control, following a person, point navigation and completely autonomous. Three high-resolution day-vision cameras installed at fixed positions in the front provide visual support for manual control and guidance, while GPS provides semi-automatic and fully autonomous operation.