R-Gator is a remotely driven version of John Deer’s M-Gator 6×6 vehicle. The vehicle is fitted with robotic control unit modules, installed with INS/GPS navigation system. At a curb weight of 1,450 lbs R-Gator can haul or tow up to 1,400 lbs (636 kg) including passengers and cargo.
The vehicle utilizes NavCom GPS technology augmenting the standard GPS with inertial measurements, providing accurate location of better than 1.63 ft (0.5 meter) during missions driven under 50% canopy.
OTS based forward laser sensors and an obstacle detecting radar at the rear form the vehicle’s obstacle avoidance systems, detecting obstacles as far as 100 ft (30 meters) away. R-Gator can be controlled from the laptop based operator control unit, utilizing an Xbox 360 joystick controller. The system displays and records two video streams. Route map can be reused, utilizing route recording and playback, reverse and repeat features, which can also be overlaid on overhead imagery such as Google Earth.
For driving and area perception, the vehicle is fitted with fixed drive camera and pan/tilt/zoom mast-mounted video system, which also mount the communications antenna and GPS. The system can assume various tasks, such as unmanned recon vehicle, perimeter patrol vehicle, or evacuate casualties from dangerous combat areas. As an optionally driven vehicle can be operated autonomously, via remote control or manually driven as a normal M-Gator. It has seats for two passengers.
