Italian company Xplora has collaborated with American company Sierra Lobo Inc to supply a mine-resistant drone (RMDS) to the US government and the Department of Defense market. The system, known as SLIX RMDS, is an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with sensors, communications package, AI/ML-based software, and an interface/integration processor. It can automatically detect land mines in real time and create a map of underground mines.
The SLIX RMDS successfully passed demonstrations in the presence of international defense agencies, law enforcement agencies, and representatives from the United States Department of Defense. Sierra Lobo CEO George Satornino expressed pride in the agreement with Xplora, emphasizing the humanitarian aspect that technology can provide. Similarly, Xplora CEO Marco Pesci expressed satisfaction with the collaboration agreement with Sierra Lobo Inc., highlighting the operational experience that company brings to the SLIX RMDS solution for the American market.
Both companies are already researching and developing next-generation capabilities with applications ranging from subsurface investigations to military use. They will participate in the U.S. Army Maneuver Support & Protection Integration eXperiments 2024 (MSPIX’24) in May 2024 at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. This marks their initial entry into the US market but is not their first step towards expanding their global presence.