Robo-warriors salute MoD Grand Challenge

A range of futuristic vehicles that make up the 11 finalists for the MoD Grand Challenge have been unveiled at an event in London.

The vehicles include mini helicopters, flying robots and unmanned ground vehicles kitted out with hi-tech sensors.

The competition was launched in November 2006 by then Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Lord Drayson.

The initiative hopes to develop a range of vehicles that could one day help UK forces to identify and avert threats during operations.

Twenty-three teams from universities, schools and private businesses across the UK entered the competition, and 11 teams will progress to the final in August.

The vehicles will battle it out at Copehill Down, a village specially built by the military for urban warfare training.

The competition challenges teams to develop autonomous aerial and ground vehicles which can detect and identify a range of threats regularly encountered by UK troops on operations.

Winning entries will need to identify threats such as marksmen, roadside bombs and armed militia, and communicate back to team members and commanders on the ground.

"We are continually looking for new ways to counter the threats faced by our Armed Forces on operations," said Baroness Ann Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support.

"I want to congratulate the 11 teams that have made it to this stage of the competition, and wish them the best of luck for this summer's final. Their efforts could one day bring life-saving solutions for troops on the ground."

Also on show were a range of state-of-the-art sensors and robotics being developed by Defence Technology Centres.

These included the latest high-definition thermal imagers, pilot navigation aids and proposals for a new type of security scanner capable of detecting threats at 20 metres.