r2c2 robo clearance

8/2/2019 R2C2 Robo Clearance

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Force Protection BranchRobotics Research Team

850-283-3725

Air Force Research LaboratoryAirbase Technologies Division

Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida

Active Range Clearance

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for Public Release, distribution unlimited.



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Overview Overview

Contact InformationContact Information

MissionMission

ARC Robots ARC Robots

ARC Overview ARC Overview

ARC Experiments ARC Experiments



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Robotics Mission Robotics Mission

The Air Force’s Robotics Research Team conducts research and

development of advanced robotic technologies and systems to protect,

support and augment the warfighter in the accomplishment of

Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, and Impossible Missions.Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, and Impossible Missions.

Robotics Research Team Mission



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ARC Mission ARC Mission

Active Range Clearance (ARC) Mission

Active Range Clearance Technologies focus on developing solutions

to support autonomous robotic construction machinery to perform

geophysical mapping, ordnance clearance, removal of residue

on DoD ranges, Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS), and Base

Realignment and Closures (BRAC) Sites. Remote systems will be

capable of operating independently for mapping, neutralizing, collecting,

and processing unexploded military munitions and range scrap.



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Development of a system of platforms operatingcooperatively to support andaugment EOD personnel in thedisposal of UXO and removal of residue on military trainingranges

Address multi-servicerequirements for mine fieldbreaching and area clearance

Reduce range decontaminationcosts and time

Improve range managementprocesses

Meet DoD objective to reducerisk of inadvertently transferringproperties containing munitionitems or hazardous constituentsto the public

Active Range Clearance Active Range Clearance



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AFRL Equipment AFRL Equipment

AOE Excavator AOE Excavator AOE Excavator AOE Excavator

Command PostCommand PostCommand PostCommand PostAMRADSAMRADSAMRADSAMRADS

ARTS PlatformARTS PlatformARTS PlatformARTS Platform

Command Center Command Center Command Center Command Center



ARTS & Attachments ARTS & Attachments

All All- -Purpose Transport Purpose Transport System (ARTS) System (ARTS)

• 3 mile line-of-sight remote control

• “Bobcat” type interface

• Variety of off-the-shelf attachments(bucket, fork, etc.)

Power Rake

ARTS with Brush Cutter

Grapple Bucket

Rotary Tiller

Kwik-Mag

Cherrington Screener

FAE Mulcher

Tree Shear Surf Rake



Excavator & Attachments Excavator & Attachments

AOE Excavator AOE Excavator • Caterpillar 325L

• Long-reach boom stick

• 69” available reach

• 4 cu yd digging bucket

• Operating weight of 64,460

•3.3 mph travel speed

Bucket

AOE Excavator

MagnetMulcher



MMR operations consisted of UXO removal onmultiple ranges using a variety of remote

equipment

- Vegetation Removal

- Sifting Operation

- Geophysical Surveys

- UXO Removal

- Fire Break Clearance

ARTS

- Brush Cutter

- Tree Shear

- Standard Bucket

- Tiller

-Grapple Bucket

- Remote Arm

- Cherrington Beach Cleaner

- Harley Power Rake

AOE

- Sifter Bucket

- Brontosaurus Mulcher

- Magnet

AMRADS

Massachusetts Military Massachusetts Military

Reservation Reservation





JJ--1 Range1 Range BermsBermsJJ--1 Range1 Range BermsBermsBeforeBeforeBeforeBefore

After After After After



Surf Rake Surf Rake AMRADS AMRADS • Barber Surf Rake

• Rotating belt of tines that scrapeground surface

• Operational speeds between 1 and 15mph

• Cleans 2-7 acres per hour

• Advanced Mobility Research and

Development System

• Autonomous geophysical mapping

• Modular architecture for ordnance

detection/location





Aberdeen Proving Ground Aberdeen Proving Ground

Conducted operations at Aberdeen Proving Grounds

to remove DU from catch boxes

- Around the clock 24 hour operations

- Removed 28,038 lbs of DU

- Removed 20+ UXO items

-Operations were conducted utilizing the AOE with Sifter Bucket



Fort Bliss Fort Bliss

Demonstrated the use of robotics for new rangeconstruction

- AMRADS used for geophysical surveying and subsurface

UXO mapping

- Several ARTS platforms with brush cutter attachments were

used for vegetation removal

- Vegetation clearance of 54 Acres

- Demonstrated the use of AOE with Magnet to recover surface

and subsurface UXO items

- Used AOE with Sifter Bucket to recover subsurface UXO items



Honey Lake Honey Lake

US Army Corps of Engineers,Engineering and Support Center,Huntsville

Requested AFRL Robotics to assistclean up of Sierra Army DepotHoney Lake Demolition Site

AFRL deployed within 2 weeks of request

2600 acres total site

Heavily contaminated demolitionarea containing 155mm and smaller ordnance frag and scrap from

unfused burn pit demolition From This

To This

ResultsResults

Average of 8 acres per day

Operations ResultsOperations Results

261 operating hours, 285 acres cleared, 95,600 lbs scrap, Average 1.02 acres/hr



ARTS w/Surf Rake

ARTS on Grid

Robot controlled from mobile command post – up to 1.5 miles distance.

ARTS with Rock Picker

Honey Lake Equipment Honey Lake Equipment

Operator night view



Rock Picker Scrap Piles

Scrap Pile Start of Project

Scrap Pile End of Project

Surf Rake Scrap Piles

Starting process produced piles with a large amount of soil – Process was

Optimized to minimize soil. Rock Picker produced cleaner piles than Surf Rake.

Honey Lake Operations Honey Lake Operations



Rock Picker performed better but slower than Surf Rake

Surf Rake not good to pick up

very large and very small objects

Night robotic operations are

safe and effective

Logistics & maintenance

challenges at remote sight

Maintenance and setup versus

operating time – separate

maintenance responsibilities fromoperators

Robots proved to be robust and

reliable operating for a 10-week

period in the open environment

ARTS working in Sandstorm

Robots are an efficient and safe

alternative to manual clearance

methods in areas with high levels of UXO contamination

Multiple robotic platforms can

operate simultaneously with no RF

interference

Results & ObservationsResults & Observations

Honey Lake Operations Honey Lake Operations



Potential Benefits Potential Benefits

• Assures the clearance of land by performing validationsweeps

• Improves response to MEC problem as a whole

• System comprised of off-the-shelf technologies for ease inexpansion and availability

• Robotic or manual deployment by relation station use

MURS System MURS System

• UXO technicians typically excavate andremove UXO by manual methods fromtest ranges and FUDS exposing thetechnicians to explosive risks.

• MURS seeks to reduce associatedrisks, costs, and liabilities of UXOremoval to lead to more effective FUDSand BRAC transfers to public use and

reduce active range maintenance byeliminating manual operations.

• During field experiments, MURSsuccessfully retrieved a 1,000 lbsurface bomb, 100 and 500 lb bombs ata 6” depth, and 60 and 81 mm mortar rounds from a 1’ depth. Submunitionsand 40 mm grenades were removedfrom a 6” depth. Shallow water testing

was also successful during theexperiment.

• The conceptual design for MURS wasdeveloped as an National DefenseCenter for Energy and Environment(NDCEE) task, system developmentand testing is supported under theEnvironmental Security TechnologyCertification Program (ESTCP).

Magnetic UXO Magnetic UXO Recovery System Recovery System



New Boston Air Force Station New Boston Air Force Station

• New Boston Air Force Station (NBAS) is a 2,826 acreformer bombing range in NH

• Utilized the Magnetic UXO Recovery System (MURS)

• This consisted of the AOE, Electromagnet, andCommand & Control Vehicle

• The purpose of the experiment was to evaluaterobotic range clearance and remediation on or near

shallow water

• Onsite EOD techs were responsible for disposal

New Boston Air Station New Boston Air Station



New Boston Air Force Station New Boston Air Force Station

• Roughly 690 ft of shoreline cleared duringapproximately 1 week

• Distance of 15 ft out from shore

• Over 50 ordnance items removed

• .50 caliber cartridges, 20 mm cartridges, 2.25 inpractice targets, 3 lb mini practice bombs, 100 lb

practice bombs

• MURS successfully removed surface debris

• The post-GPR study will determine the removal depth

• Follow-on experimentation could result

New Boston Air Station New Boston Air Station



Points of Contact Points of Contact

Robotics Research Team Points of Contact:Robotics Research Team Points of Contact:

Robotics Group LeadRobotics Group Lead

Mr. Walt WaltzMr. Walt Waltz

850850--283283--3725 DSN 5233725 DSN 523--37253725

[email protected]@tyndall.af.mil

Robotics Technical LeadRobotics Technical Lead

Mr. Brian SkibbaMr. Brian Skibba

850850--283283--3725 DSN 5233725 DSN 523--37253725

[email protected]@tyndall.af.mil

r2c2 robo clearance

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