SILICON VALLEY'S

If Team Mira's robots are a circus act, then Silicon Valley's fleet of drones might be an entire circus. This team's system is designed to be easily scaled up or down and can include different kinds of UGVs, static sensors (dropped in place by UGVs), various UAVs, tethered blimps and kites.

At the MoD Grand Challenge, the team's robot army featured a pair of six-wheeled UGVs called Moonbuggies. There are two versions of the Moonbuggy: a larger model, designed to investigate the environment, and a mini-Moonbuggy that generally stays in one spot or patrols a given area. The system also includes a glider that can fly on autopilot over the village, feeding video to a pair of glasses. Similar to Team Mindsheet's easily replaceable toy cars, Silicon Valley's system is intended to use largely off-the-shelf, commercially available gear.

Though its robots are impressive, the algorithm that the system uses is perhaps its most striking asset. It includes image recognition software that can—in theory—spot the command wires leading back to an improvised explosive device. Though the Silicon Valley team didn't take first place in the Grand Challenge, the team's technical lead, Richard May, believes they could have "a trialable system in six to nine months and a fieldable system within 18 months."