PART A
Background

The MDEK MDE-SV Surveillance Vehicle is to be an unmanned ground teleoperated or autonomous battery-powered long-range vehicle designed for multienvironmental security and surveillance operations. Design applications include urban, military, commercial and industrial surveillance of vast areas of unfriendly or unsafe for human intrusion. Being battery-powered, the vehicle can be operated indoors as well as outdoors. The vehicle contains numerous sensors multiplexed to generate a full 360" panning and 90" tilting of all video, laser range designation, IR, and high intensity illumination around the vehicle. Sensors include audio, video, laser range, chemical and biological, and nuclear radiation emissions. An elevation arm can elevate to 26 feet above ground and contains the SMU for video, laser range designation and illumination. The SMU can pan 360" and tilt 90". Additional SMU modules are located on the front and rear of the vehicles. The front SMU rotates with the front wheels of the vehicle. The front bumper is capable of absorbing a 7mph collision without damaging the vehicle. A 20 amp built-in battery charger provides for immediate charging with a 15 ft. retracting service line. Electric power rating is 300AH, 7.4KW and can be upgraded to 400AH and 9.6KW. The MDE-SV is a real-world surveillance vehicle readily adapted to numerous real-world situations. It will have a practical speed of 15mph and can be programmed to crawl along at less than 2 mph for close-in work, and will have an operational range of more than 30 miles in the 400AH configuration. For both remote and autonomous operation the SV surveillance vehicle is equipped with GPS navigation having meter to centimeter positioning accuracy.

The vehicle is based on the robust MDE-A short bed SPRINT chassis and has been in service for more than five years. Construction is all aluminum alloy and all mechanical parts are high strength alloy steel, having corrosion resistant finishes. All electronic components, including Controller, servo amp, pots, etc., are industrial grade at minimum and mil-spec at maximum. The direct drive gear motors are sealed and lubricated for life and the electromagnetic disc brakes are self-adjusting and can stop the 760lb. Laden vehicle in 10ft from 12mph. Control of the vehicle is readily adaptable to remote control, since all the control systems are electric, including steering and braking systems as well as throttle control. There are no hydraulic brakes and forward and reverse speeds are controlled by the same single pot circuit.