The BUGS "Basic UXO Gathering System" project for UXO clearance & mine countermeasures

The objective of the Basic UXO Gathering System (BUGS) is to test, evaluate and demonstrate the use of distributed robotics in clearing unexploded submunitions and minefield neutralization. A team consisting of industry, universities, and the government is working together on the BUGS programme. We are concentrating on control methodologies required for multiple, autonomous robots working together to perform a practical and useful mission. The choice of architecture is important in selecting a system that is flexible enough to operate reliably and robustly in an unknown environment. This paper also addresses the current team efforts on the BUGS project.