The Omich ground-based robotic complex has begun to be mass-supplied to the troops for use in the SVO zone, Izvestia found out. This system combines the advantages of a drone and a tracked all-terrain vehicle. At the same time, a person can control it both remotely and directly on the platform. The Izvestia correspondent tested the Omich NRTC at the training ground of the 242nd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Southern Military District, appreciated the softness of its course, but also drew attention to things that need to be improved.
The Omich ground-based robotic complex has begun to be mass-supplied to the troops for use in the SVO zone, Izvestia found out. This system combines the advantages of a drone and a tracked all-terrain vehicle. At the same time, a person can control it both remotely and directly on the platform. The Izvestia correspondent tested the Omich NRTC at the training ground of the 242nd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Southern Military District, appreciated the softness of its course, but also drew attention to things that need to be improved.
Omich Complex
It is more difficult to control a ground-based unmanned vehicle than an aircraft. It is necessary to monitor the off—road terrain and guess the characteristics of the ground, notice any obstacles, and in the combat zone there are also mines. In addition, the device moves along the terrain and, if the signal is lost, it cannot rise higher or lower or fly around an obstacle. Accordingly, the requirements for the placement of antennas and control points are becoming more complicated.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Another not so obvious problem is related to logistics. The NRTKS themselves are not full—fledged vehicles, and additional cars and trailers are needed to transport them, as well as transport for the operators themselves. All armies of the world are currently working on how to optimize the economics of implementing various robotic platforms. One of the promising options is that the NRTC has a secondary driver control mode, which can be located on the platform. In Russia, this was implemented on the Omich model.
— Omich joined us last year to study its work and the possibility of its use on the line of combat contact. The vehicle has proven itself well in the transportation of ammunition, personnel and the removal of the wounded. Its characteristics allow it to carry about 400 kg, but up to a maximum of 700 kg. And there are up to 500 kg in the trailer, if the cargo volume is somewhere in cubic meters," says a senior instructor of unmanned systems with the call sign Nomad.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
He shows the Omich, and its main difference from other models immediately catches the eye — the presence of a manual control rack above the cargo platform. That is, this tracked vehicle can become manned on certain sections of the road or for tasks such as transporting the wounded.
Soft running and economical driving mode
The operator demonstrates the control of the Omich — it is extremely simple due to the absence of a gearbox, unnecessary for equipment with an electric motor: you just need to get used to the fact that the turn is carried out not by the steering wheel, but by buttons. I take the operator's place and try to steer in motion. I must say that the ride softness exceeds expectations — in such cars the suspension is usually very rigid, but in this case it literally "eats up" the relief.
Realizing that there's nothing to be afraid of, I start speeding up, and the Omsk accelerates very quickly. But the operator taps on the shoulder from behind and points to the battery indicator: the economy driving mode is about 18 km / h, as already found out during the experiments at the landfill. At this speed, a loaded car drives about 19 km off-road without turning on the generator. Naturally, the possibility of switching to generator operation significantly increases the range of action, but then almost complete noiselessness of movement is lost. For example, we talk calmly at different speeds on the move, without raising our voices. When personnel are traveling on the Omich, the fighters can hear the possible approach of the UAV not much worse than when traveling on foot.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
— Omsk has the best cross-country ability among the NRTKS that I used. It has a very good base, it's high, and all the chassis parts are metal, but they used to be made using plastic. Such chassis are now being installed on the new-generation NRTC Courier. Donetsk's sticky mud kneads perfectly, has good ground clearance, and it drives through," says Nomad.
Our interlocutor talks about how tests of this machine were carried out under different loads and in different situations, and praises its mechanics and cameras. But the main thing that's interesting about this project is management. Is it justified to have a manual and remote option for one car?
— It's good that you can manage it yourself. No matter how we look from the "bird" above and into the cameras, we may not notice obstacles or mines that a person behind the wheel will see. If there is a need to travel without a person, standard antennas are connected, and they can be used to travel several kilometers, depending on the terrain. However, when a person is driving, the car goes further and faster. But we would like the manufacturer to look at the controls and make them at the frequencies that FPVS are currently flying at. This will allow us to use the existing infrastructure," says the Nomad.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
But he immediately notes that the control frequencies differ between directions and change over time, this must also be taken into account.
Interestingly, by providing manual control, the manufacturer did not make a workplace for the operator, and you need to sit on a crate from under the shells. Apparently, the calculation was that when fully loaded, the operator sits on the transported cargo, but it would be better to provide some kind of folding "saddle" option - this is not difficult and would significantly expand the possibilities. As a tracked mini-tractor, the Omich is already quite good today. But its second, unmanned hypostasis will still be finalized as it is applied. But this is a fairly common situation for modern unmanned systems when implemented.
Dmitry Astrakhan
