Problem Solved: USAF SFTM-IR

The United States Air Force found my videos on You Tube. They approached me regarding a custom build. They had a FOB (Forward Operating Base) that needed a set of inspection robots for a unique mission. They wanted a better way to search underneath incoming vehicles. They requested a set of specialized robots that can fit underneath a vehicle to search for bombs or contraband.

Since the inspections happen day and night, they wanted it to be infrared capable. One of the challenges for this build, included designing something with a very low profile that could fit under most vehicles. It also needed to send out an infrared beam that the camera could “see” and be able to look directly overhead. It also needed to operate from a quarter mile away.

The FTM or Front Tilt Minibot was an obvious choice to modify. The FTM has the camera mounted on the front and allows the operator to “look-up” directly overhead. So, I built this set of twin SFTM’s with IR Vision and shipped them off to the FOB. The USAF sent me their credit card number and the sale went through without any problems.

This system is much safer than the old technique and keeps the operator out of harm’s way. Instead of using an operator with a mirror on the end of a pole to search for bombs, they could now sit safely in a bunker while the vehicle was inspected by two robotic platforms.