Deploying Drone Bots for Coastal Operations

Participants in the discussion on "Drone-Bot Combat System and AI Coastal Integrated Surveillance System Development Plan" held on the 3rd at the Army 2nd Operations Command are inspecting the displayed equipment. Photo by 2nd Operations Command

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Army's 2nd Operations Command (hereinafter 2nd Ops Command) has decided to establish a dronebot (a compound of drone + robot) combat system and an AI (artificial intelligence)-based integrated coastal surveillance system as part of the 'Smart Military Innovation' project starting this year.

According to the Army on the 3rd, the 2nd Ops Command held a meeting to discuss 'the development plan for the dronebot combat system and AI integrated coastal surveillance system' to respond to changes in the future security environment and to identify fields where 4th Industrial Revolution technologies can be applied in the field.

Dronebots are expected to be useful in replacing insufficient manpower through unmanned technology, and the AI-based integrated coastal surveillance system is anticipated to swiftly and precisely monitor the vast coastline by analyzing ship databases (DB).

About 30 participants, including former Army Chief of Staff Kim Yong-woo, Moon Jeon-il, President of the Korea Robot Industry Promotion Agency, Professor Yoon Guk-jin of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Dr. Kang Wang-gu of the Aerospace Research Institute, external experts, and military officials, attended the discussion.

Former Chief Kim said, "The 2nd Ops Command performs missions with a reduced unit structure and relatively outdated equipment while protecting nationally important facilities and social infrastructure across a wide area," adding, "There is a need to apply combat systems that will lead future battlefields."

Dr. Kang stated, "If a drone-based control system linked among civilian, government, and military sectors is established, real-time close monitoring of approaching unidentified vessels will be possible, which can overcome geographical limitations."

Based on the discussions held on this day, the 2nd Ops Command plans to prepare specific operational directions in cooperation with the Army, industry, academia, and research institutes in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.