Qinetiq North America has received a seven-year, $165 million deal to deliver the Army’s first small ground robots, the company said Friday.
The Army has selected Qinetiq over an offering from
Endeavor Robotics for its Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) program to find a robot that weighs less than 25 pounds and is able to carried in a soldier’s backpack on the battlefield.
“Our CRS(I) robot combines performance, intuitive control, and easy transport with a very competitive price point. This will redefine the market for next-generation back-packable robots,” Jeff Yorsz, president of QinetiQ North America, said in a statement.
Qinetiq’s deal includes a $20 million low-rate initial production phase, with the company receiving $4 million at the time of award to kickstart deliveries of the robots.
Last April, the Army selected Qinetiq and Endeavor Robotics, recently acquired by FLIR [FLIR], to develop their CRS(I) robots under a $429 million development contract (Defense Daily, April 2018).
Both companies then participated in a demonstration event with the Army in October.
Qinetiq’s CRS(I) robot is integrated with advanced sensors and modules to assist dismounted soldiers with carrying out mission tasks, including identifying and countering hazards.