Multi-million-pound Fund to fast track military robotics

Registration has officially opened for the Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems conference in London, in April 2020.

With this in mind, SMi Group are pleased to host the Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems conference returning to London on the 1st-2nd April 2020, for its third successful year. The key focuses of the conference will revolve around the five priorities established by the UK MoD in the development of RAS. This includes situational awareness, lethality, manoeuvrability, survivability and sustainability, as well as cover other main themes such as counter-IED, deep learning, AI, international cooperation, or communication systems.

The 2020 agenda features over five hours of dedicated networking time, more than 19 thought-provoking presentations and two exclusive panel discussions.

The speaker line-up for Military RAS 2020:

Conference chairman:

• Brigadier (Ret’d) Ian Cameron-Mowat, Former Head of Force Protection, British Army

Host nation speakers:

• Major Alex Bayliss, SO1 Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Future Force Development, Capability Directorate, British Army.
• Major Martin Laverack, Requirements Manager 1, Special Projects Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search, DE&S MOD.
• Major Luke Wilson, Land Requirements Manager, DE&S MOD.
• Major Jamie Woodsend, SO2 Army Warfighting Experiment, Infantry Trials and Development Unit, British Army.
• Mr Peter Stockel, Fellow – Autonomous Systems & Innovation Autonomy Challenge Lead, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
• Dr Ivan Petrunin, Lecturer in Digital Signal Processing for Autonomous Systems, Cranfield University.
• Professor Hyo Sang Shin, Professor in GNC, Cranfield University.
• Mr Andy Fawkes, Director, Thinke Company.

International military and expert speakers:

• Dr Robert Sadowski SES, Army Chief Roboticist Robotics ST, US Army (subject to final confirmation).
• Lieutenant Colonel Sten Allik, Senior Staff Officer/Future Solutions, Estonian Defence Forces.
• Lieutenant Colonel Jon Bodenhamer, Product Manager, Applique and Large Unmanned Ground Systems, PEO CS&CSS, US Army.
• Lieutenant Colonel Martijn Hadicke, Project Leader NLD Army Robot Autonomous Systems, 13th Infantry Brigade, Netherlands Army.
• Lieutenant Colonel Robin Smith, SO1 Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Future Land Warfare Branch, Australian Army.
• Captain J. Evan Inglett, Ground Combat Branch Head, United States Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.
• Staff Sergeant Matt Foglesong, Robotics and Autonomy Branch Head, United States Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.
• Dr Martin Hagström, Programme Manager Weapon and Protection, Defence and Security Systems, FOI.
• Mr Ted Maciuba, Deputy Director, Robotics Requirements, Maneuver Capabilities Development Integration Directorate, Futures and Concepts Center US Army Futures Command.
• Senior Representative, FLIR.
• Mr Keith Mallon, Campaign Manager – Land Autonomy, QinetiQ.

Next year’s conference will have a new focus on robotic platoon vehicles, autonomy and manned/unmanned teaming and delegates will hear new speakers from the UK, US, Estonia, Sweden and Australia.

The Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems conference will be held between 1st to 2nd April 2020, London, UK.