The French defense procurement agency (DGA) has signed a framework agreement with KNDS France and Safran Electronics & Defense to explore technologies for robotic land platforms.
The seven-year DROIDE framework is planned for the period of 2030-2035.
“Capacity considerations provide for the acceleration of the use of remotely operated vectors and a broadening of the spectrum of their missions, including in the terrestrial domain which presents a particular complexity,” the DGA stated in a press release.
The robotic platforms are intended to enhance the capabilities of combat groups while limiting soldiers’ exposure.
Key technologies for battlefield land robots will be matured during the framework period, crystalizing in the design of a multi-mission land robotic demonstrator.
The initiative allows the involvement of third-party partners offering their innovations.
Previous Robotic Project
Safran Electronics & Defense is already developing robotic platforms under the DGA’s FURIOUS program.
The company developed a modular architecture concept for the autonomous operation of any land platform — crewed or uncrewed.
In late 2021, a trio of different land platforms were field trialed by the company featuring the architecture.
Following the trial, the company was awarded a three-year optional contract in 2022 for the optimization of the architecture.
It also asked to make the autonomous functions — “tracking passage points, replaying trajectories, monitoring the leader, and autonomous target homing”— more robust in more complex and unstable environments.
