Pune: Cutting-edge quadrupedal robotic mules to feature in Army Day parade

This year’s parade will take place at the Bombay Engineering Group (BEG) and Centre in Pune, featuring marching contingents, mechanised columns, and technological exhibits.

Highlights will include demonstrations of cutting-edge defence technologies such as drones and robotics, along with captivating performances like combat demonstrations and martial arts displays. This will be the third occasion when a city other than Delhi will host the Army Day parade, keeping in line with the Union government’s decision of holding events of national importance outside the national capital, in order to give them wider visibility and participation of citizens. The Army Day parades of 2023 and 2024 were hosted by Bangalore and Lucknow respectively.

The dress rehearsals of the parade were held at BEG parade ground on Monday. At the end of the marching contingent was the ‘team’ of eight Quadrupedal Unmanned Ground Vehicles named ‘ARCV MULE’ developed by New Delhi-based AeroArc Pvt Ltd. The Aeroarc Pvt Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arc Ventures (ARCV). MULE stands for Multi Utility Legged Equipment.

The Indian Army recently acquired 100 units of these ARCV MULE system. Officials said that robotic mule is a tele-operable and autonomous Quadrupedal Unmanned Ground Vehicle (Q-UGV) that can be used for a variety of applications including perimeter security, asset protection, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and other uses. It was inducted into the Indian Army in June 2024. The ARCV-MULE is made of five main components that work together: These are the compute box, battery, front sensor head, rear sensor head and legs.

The robotic mule is rated to operate in environments of -20 to 45° temperature range. Among its capabilities are stair, curb and slope climbing and confined space navigation, obstacle and avoidance sensing with cameras, visual perception in day and low-light conditions with illumination assist, platform self-righting and inverted operation capability, autonomous and pre-programmed patrol route navigation, operation in inclement weather conditions and variable natural terrain, continuous operation for at least two hours using standard mission profile, real-time relay of video and two-way audio among others.

The Army Day parade will also feature state of art all terrain vehicles, specialist mobility vehicles, Pinaka multiple launcher rocket system and Sarvatra Bridging system among other systems.