EDINA, Minn. - (September 28, 2010) ReconRobotics, Inc. has announced the introduction of the Recon Scout® SearchStick pole, a novel device that enables police tactical teams and military personnel to use any two-wheeled Recon Scout reconnaissance robot as they would a pole cam. Equipped with actuated jaws that are used to grasp the 1.2lb robot, the SearchStick pole is just 20.5 inches long when fully retracted, but it can be extended to 72 inches. This allows an operator to easily see over a 12-foot wall or into a second story window, all while maintaining protective cover. Throughout such inspections the robot transmits live video to a handheld Operator Control Unit (OCU), providing operators with vital situational awareness that protects the lives of soldiers and tactical personnel during high-risk operations. The SearchStick can also be used to quietly place a robot into an elevated or confined space, where it can then search the environment for adversaries, IEDs or other threats. Once the inspection has been completed, the operator can use the jaws on the SearchStick to retrieve the robot. Zistos Corporation, a world leader in pole camera technology, will manufacture the SearchStick for ReconRobotics.
"We have nearly 1,200 Recon Scout micro-robots deployed around the world, and this new product dramatically expands their utility and versatility," says Alan Bignall, president and CEO of ReconRobotics. "No other robot in the world can be used as a pole camera, and no other pole camera can instantly deploy its optical system as a mobile micro-robot. When used together, our Recon Scout robot and SearchStick pole give soldiers and tactical operators a uniquely powerful reconnaissance system that can safely reveal hidden threats, limit collateral damage and resolve dangerous situations."
The Recon Scout SearchStick and robot system will be particularly useful for gaining visual access into walled compounds, rooftops, attics, ventilation systems, tunnels and crawl spaces. And because most Recon Scout robots are equipped with infrared optical systems, this visual reconnaissance can be conducted even in complete darkness.
Recon Scout robots may be specified in any of three transmitting frequencies, allowing police and military personnel to operate up to three robots in the same environment at the same time. This Know Before You Go capability allows tactical teams to quickly and safely clear large multi-level structures before personnel enter these environments.
Worldwide, nearly 200 police and security agencies already use Recon Scout robots for tactical reconnaissance, including the many police tactical teams as well as the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Border Patrol, DEA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In addition, several branches of the U.S. military and international friendly forces have deployed Recon Scout robots around the world to assist warfighters in route clearing operations, remote reconnaissance and IED inspection.
