Military Robot Runs on Saphion Battery

Engineers at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), a U.S. Department of Energy facility in Aiken, South Carolina, will use Saphion lithium-ion batteries from Valence Technology Inc. in Austin, Texas, to power a small fleet of Remotec Andros military vehicles.

Andros Mark V-A1 is the largest, strongest robot in the REMOTEC family. Its 3.5mph speed and articulated tracks enable it to maneuver rapidly over rough terrain and obstacles, climb stairs, and cross two-foot-wide ditches. It is designed for explosives handling, nuclear surveillance and maintenance, hazardous-materials response and SWAT operations.

Valence’s batteries have enabled a five-fold increase in the runtime and range of the robot. Andros operators also use the communications capabilities of the K-Charge Power Systems to monitor the temperature, voltage and state-of-charge of the batteries.