— What projects in the field of robotics is the Research Institute of Robotics and Control Processes of the Southern Federal University currently working on?

— Our research institute specializes in creating control systems for autonomous robotic platforms and group control systems for them.

To date, at least two events can be attributed to the unconditional achievements of the institute.

First of all, the development and testing of Russia’s first control system for a self-organizing group of UAVs. Such drones have demonstrated the ability to find an “object of interest” without operator participation, determine its coordinates and perform certain actions with it.

The second is work on a group control system for ground-based robotic complexes (RTC) weighing 4-5 tons. The project was implemented with the support of the Advanced Research Foundation (APF). During testing of the system, robotic platforms independently solved various problems in an uncertain, that is, unmapped, environment.

— How were you able to achieve such results and what is their practical value?

— The control system for autonomous robotic vehicles or UAVs is based on the principle of integration. It combines various methods and approaches into a single functional whole. Thanks to this, it is possible to make the most optimal use of the advantages of the applied technical solutions and seriously level out their existing costs. For example, we use a neural network to process images, and when it is necessary to make management decisions, we use analytical and empirical algorithms for managing complex systems.

Another difficult task that was generally solved was navigation. After all, if a robot or UAV does not understand its location, then, accordingly, it is unable to perform any functionality, much less interact with other technical means or people.

  • RTK "Marker" with means of detecting and destroying enemy targets

  • © NPO "Android Technology"

This problem was solved by integrating various navigation methods. One of them is a system of correlation extreme navigation, in the development of which the Kronstadt company participated. RTKs or drones controlled by our system “understand” where they are and where they are moving.

In practice, the introduction of autonomous control systems will allow unmanned vehicles to perform almost all assigned functionality without operator participation. In this way, the risks of human losses are completely eliminated, information awareness is increased and the time cycle between detection, determination of coordinates and hitting the target is greatly reduced.

Having received such technologies, the army will have a significant advantage on the battlefield - at least when it comes to conflict with the use of conventional (conventional) weapons.

The primary task here is to exclude humans from the combat control loop as much as possible. The experience of modern armed conflicts suggests the need to radically increase the automation of management processes and minimize the number of links through which information and commands pass.

In other words, the fewer structures there are (and people work in them) that evaluate the received data and make decisions, the faster the “detection - target destruction” cycle will be implemented.

Using the example of the Northern Military District, it is appropriate to conclude that such technologies would allow the Russian Armed Forces to mine and clear terrain without any particular risks, conduct effective counter-battery warfare, quickly identify the enemy’s location and target weapons, including attack UAVs, and also facilitate assault operations.

Let me remind you that currently in our army, as in the troops of other countries, UAVs and ground platforms, which are commonly called robots, are controlled remotely.

Such products have become good assistants in reconnaissance, strikes against individual targets, evacuation of the wounded, and transportation of ammunition and provisions. Almost all remotely controlled devices are constantly being improved - developers are expanding functionality, improving noise immunity of communications and navigation. We also see how actively Russian craftsmen are experimenting with “teaching” RTKs and drones to shoot weapons that infantrymen now use.

It is obvious that the number of remotely controlled RTKs and drones will only grow. At the same time, we should not forget that almost every unmanned platform requires an operator, and a sufficiently qualified one at that. Training such a large number of personnel—we could be talking about tens of thousands of military personnel—will require considerable resources.

In addition, on the line of combat contact, all operators will be vulnerable to enemy electronic reconnaissance (ER) to one degree or another. I don't think that a drone or RTK operator will become as dangerous a profession as an attack aircraft or a sniper. However, the enemy is definitely stepping up efforts to hunt unwary novices and skilled pilots. I will say more: this is already happening in the North-West region.

  • A serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces with a copter-type UAV

  • RIA News

  • © Evgeniy Biyatov

We must never forget about the notorious human factor. Even a highly qualified specialist is a priori a less reliable functional unit than a well-made machine.

If the trend of saturation with remotely controlled weapons continues, then soon enough we will exhaust the combat use of ground and air platforms. And then it will be necessary to introduce autonomous control systems for at least one or two unmanned products.

— Are remotely controlled vehicles and crewed ground vehicles really so ineffective and will not be needed in the future?

- Of course, this is not so. Remotely controlled and crewed vehicles are here to stay. It would be more correct to say that their role will become less significant. In addition, the process of creating real robots will not be quick.

Let me give you an example. In a short time, Russian enterprises have developed quite a lot of unmanned tracked and wheeled platforms for evacuating the wounded.

They are controlled remotely and hypothetically can be disrupted by electronic warfare. Nevertheless, their use is still advisable, especially when the place where the injured soldier is is under fire from the enemy. The cars themselves are relatively cheap, and it’s not too bad to lose them. Such means of transportation are definitely useful, and there is no more perfect alternative to them yet.

The staff of our research institute and my colleagues from other structures also understand perfectly well that for a long time there will not be worthy robotic alternatives to tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery units and MLRS. At the same time, in the near future it is possible to create quite effective autonomous UAVs, small reconnaissance and attack ground robotic platforms and engineering equipment.

— How resistant will autonomous control systems be to the effects of electronic warfare (EW)?

— To accurately answer this question, it is necessary to conduct a lot more research and testing. Much also depends on what specific electronic warfare systems will be used by the enemy. For example, from the experience of the North Military District, we can judge that large-sized systems are rarely used on the line of combat contact. They are noticeable to DER and therefore are mainly deployed to cover rear targets.

  • Firing from the Giatsint-S artillery system of the Russian Armed Forces in the Northern Military District zone

  • RIA News

  • © Evgeniy Biyatov

Directly on the front line, so-called trench electronic warfare is massively exploited. These are small-sized jamming stations and anti-drone guns. These means do not work all the time, because they consume a lot of energy and, moreover, are not always effective, since we and the enemy regularly change the UAV control frequencies, use the PDFR method (pseudo-random tuning of the operating frequency. -

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), inertial navigation and other methods of protecting channels management.

At the moment, “trench electronic warfare” is losing a little in the battle with drones, especially those that require a minimum amount of manipulation from the operator.

Thus, the autonomous system will be no less protected from the effects of electronic warfare, if only because of the insignificant exchange of data between the devices. From drone to drone or from RTK to RTK, command lines, attributes (information encoding format -

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) and other “light” types of data will be transmitted. According to the calculations of our research institute, the impact of electronic warfare equipment will not become critical and will not affect the stability of the control system.

— What exactly needs to be done now to get autonomously controlled UAVs and ground platforms?

— The principle of integration, which I have already mentioned, involves progress in four main technological areas: on-board computers, technical vision equipment, navigation systems and on-board power supply systems.

In order to develop them successfully, we need, first of all, to improve the quality parameters of the electronic component base (ECB), to create a range of our own lithium-ion batteries, small-sized internal combustion engines, hybrid power plants and electric motors.

Today, not everything in these areas is as good as we would like, and therefore we are forced to rely on imports from friendly countries.

  • Robotic complex "Marker"

  • RIA News

  • © Vitaly Timkiv

However, I am optimistic about the development of domestic military robotics, as I see the interest of the state and the growing enthusiasm of our engineers. I personally know of many projects that contribute to increasing the autonomy of UAVs and RTKs. Some of them are sold by such enterprises as NPO Android Technology, NPO Saturn, and Perm Research and Production Instrument-Making Company (PNPPK). The Seed Fund plays a major role in supporting initiatives important for robotics.

— Could you outline the time prospects for the emergence of fully autonomous military products?

— Taking into account current trends, this is probably 5-10 years. But it is already possible to launch the production of some single autonomous platforms and establish a system for transmitting target coordinates from UAVs to weapons, thereby reducing the time before striking the enemy.