Ukraine's Roboneers upgrades two ground drones in case of Starlink outage – photos

Ukrainian company Roboneers has upgraded its Lynx PRO and Lynx+ unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), adding a new LTE and Wi-Fi antenna.

Source: Roboneers to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: The new antenna expands the capabilities for controlling the vehicles in situations where satellite or mobile communications are blocked by obstacles. The Wi-Fi channel has a range of up to 60 metres.

"We received this request directly from UGV crews. There are sections of a route – such as a tunnel or a tree line – where neither LTE nor Starlink can get a signal, and losing communication in such a location creates the risk of leaving the vehicle uncontrolled. Another scenario is when an enemy FPV drone hits the antenna and disables Starlink while the UGV itself remains operational. In both cases, Wi-Fi provides an additional communication channel that allows operators to connect to the vehicle – from another UGV or even from a drone – and regain control of it," the company explained.

The new antenna also makes it possible, when necessary, to recover a vehicle via Wi-Fi, allowing operators to regain control of the ground drone even if its main communication channels are temporarily unavailable.

The manufacturer said the upgrade complements the existing communication systems on both platforms: a digital MESH network and Starlink included as standard, which provide stable control under most combat conditions.

The Lynx+ has also been fitted with a red spotlight to make it easier to service the UGV at night without exposing its position as much as conventional white light would.

Roboneers also noted that orders for the Lynx+ and Lynx PRO unmanned ground vehicles can be placed through the Brave1 Market marketplace using e-Points.

Background: It was previously reported that the Ukrainian Lynx+ UGV had been approved for operational use by the Ukrainian defence forces.

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