The US Army has evaluated the integration of the FireAnt small robotic system with the M2A4 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, highlighting new options for deploying artificial intelligence-enabled ground drone swarms.
FireAnt developer Swarmbotics AI released footage showing five of the unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) secured to the side racks of a Bradley operated by the army’s 1st Cavalry Division.
The testing occurred during Pegasus Charge 3, an exercise series demonstrating potential autonomous solutions, tactical weapons, and drone countermeasure technologies in support of the army’s Transformation in Contact modernization initiative.
It was not disclosed whether crew members deployed the systems manually or via remote mechanisms aboard the Bradley.
“The key takeaway is that robot swarms are here to stay,” Swarmbotics AI Chief Technology Officer Drew Watson said during the company’s February signing of a FireAnt acquisition contract with the US Army, adding that his firm will work with the 1st Cavalry Division to baseline concepts for deploying hundreds of robots.
The FireAnt UGV
Weighing approximately 60 pounds (27 kilograms), the FireAnt is a low-cost four-wheeled vehicle specifically built for coordinated autonomous operations.
Operators can configure the 3-foot (1-meter) platform for observation, tracking, communications relay, electronic warfare, and one-way attack missions.
While controllers direct groups of FireAnts, the UGV features AI-driven autonomy to execute tasks independently.
FireAnt’s design includes an IP67 water and dust resistance standard, anti-shock chassis, and heat-proof components.
The ground drone can deploy for up to 12 hours and cover a 15-mile (24-kilometer) range.
