Current methods for house-to-house searching and fighting present severe challenges and risks. Operators face extreme danger entering confined spaces, navigating "fatal funnels," and engaging in close-quarters battle with limited prior knowledge of threats. Gaining situational awareness usually requires
direct visual exposure, placing personnel at immediate risk. Reliable radio communication can be degraded or blocked by building materials, even before jamming. Slow, methodical clearing procedures can increase exposure time.
This system enables rapid building search/intrusion with resilience in electronically contested environments.
A quadruped robot is the primary deployment unit and C2/power hub, selected for indoor mobility. The quadruped carries and deploys a mix of micro-drones: Small quadcopters provide rapid visual reconnaissance using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for navigation. They relay data via short-range links (RF-burst, Visual Light Communication) when near a ground node or hub. Limited battery life is accepted. Wheeled/tracked ground micro-robots form the core communication network. Given vulnerabilities of RF (jamming) and wireless alternatives (VLC/Acoustic countermeasures), ground units form a physical tether backbone. Each ground unit deploys a copper wire tether as it moves from the hub or another ground unit. The tether provides power and data, extending operational time and ensuring a robust, high-bandwidth, jam-proof comms link. Ground units act as relays, extending the wired network from the hub.
Operational Concept:
Quadruped enters structure.
Deploys ground units that spool tethers, establishing powered comms nodes.
Aerial units deploy for quick scans, relaying data via short-range links to the nearest node/hub.
Ground units advance via tether control, extending the backbone and deploying effects (smoke, explosives, sensors) as directed.
This system accepts wireless fragility, leveraging a robust physical layer. Tether management is complex, but focusing it on tethered ground units simplifies endurance. The design prioritizes guaranteed C2/data over wireless freedom, accepting the trade-off for assurance in jammed environments.