Ukrainian soldiers use remote-controlled vehicles for dangerous missions

"On a battlefield swarming with deadly Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to nimble, remote-controlled armored vehicles that can perform an array of tasks and spare troops from potentially life-threatening missions. The Ukrainian army is especially eager to deploy what soldiers refer to as "robots on wheels" as it faces a shortage of soldiers in a war that has dragged on for more than 3 ½ years. The vehicles look like miniature tanks and can ferry supplies, clear mines and evacuate the wounded or dead."

"The robotic vehicles are mostly made by Ukrainian companies and range in cost from about $1,000 to as much as $64,000, depending on their size and capabilities. While they have become vital to Ukrainian troops along the 1,000 kilometer (620 mile) front line, such vehicles are not new to warfare. The German army used a remote-controlled miniature tank - tethered by a wire - called the Goliath in World War II."

Ukrainian soldiers increasingly use small, remote-controlled armored vehicles to perform supply runs, mine clearance and casualty evacuation, reducing exposure to dangerous tasks. The vehicles, nicknamed "robots on wheels", address manpower shortages during a war exceeding three and a half years and operate along a roughly 1,000-kilometer front. Most models are produced by Ukrainian companies and cost between about $1,000 and $64,000 depending on size and capability. Remote-controlled battlefield vehicles have historical precedents such as the World War II German Goliath and modern analogues developed by the U.S., Israel, Britain and China. Russian forces employ similar systems.

Read at Fast Company