Military Recon Robot Protects Troops, Police

Military Recon Robot

When you first look at the Recon Scout IR it looks like a small dumbbell. But even at a tiny 1.2 pounds, this robot does some major lifting.

Built by a company in Edina, Minnesota, ReconRobotics, the robot transmits video images of dangerous environments before police and troops have to go in.

It is used by police SWAT teams to defuse violent situations and the military to assess hostile environments from a safe distance.

Recently, police officers used a Scout to find a person who was armed, suicidal, threatening officers and barricaded in a condominium complex. Standing outside, they could maneuver the robot through multiple rooms and get clear video images - even in the dark - of the home's layout. They found the exact location of the armed person's position so police could safely control the situation when officers entered the home.

Success stories like that have propelled ReconRobotics to millions in sales in less than three years. Recently, traveling cases of miniature reconnaissance robots were ready for pickup for the U.S. Army, which is buying 150 Scouts under a $1.35 million contract.

"What wakes us up in the morning is saving lives," said Alan Bignall, ReconRobotics, chief executive officer. He has led the company since it was spun out of the University of Minnesota in early 2007.

Planning to build the company in phases, he initially focused on getting one or two Scouts into the hands of law enforcement agencies across the United States. This year, Bignall and his staff are expanding ReconRobotics by marketing to branches of the military.

The robots range in price from $7,500 for the Recon Scout to $9,000 for its infrared-capable sibling, and they can pack lifesaving punches into the small, portable 7.5-inch-long frame. In 2007, its first year in business, Recon-Robotics generated $480,000 in revenue. Last year, the company entered the international market and sales rose to $1.65 million.

This year, Bignall said, the company already has secured well over $2.5 million in orders, and he estimates annual sales will reach $3.3 million to $5 million. Within two to three years, Bignall said that it's "very doable" that ReconRobotics could achieve $20 million in annual revenue.

Research to develop the robot began in the late 1990s at the University of Minnesota, and the military started expressing interest in the school's work at the beginning of this decade. The university received more than $6 million in government grants over several years to develop the robot. Professor Nikos Papanikolopoulos, who is also director of the university's Center for Distributed Robotics, spearheaded the research.

Casey Carlson, a product engineer who worked on the Scout at the school before joining the company, said one of the challenges of developing the product was ensuring the sophisticated technology within the unit's tube would not be damaged when the robot was thrown, literally, into action. The solution: large wheels on the ends of the robot's tube to absorb the shock, no matter how it lands after being thrown.

For its efforts, the University of Minnesota, which holds patents on the robot, now has an ownership stake in the company.

"We swapped stock in Recon-Robotics in exchange for the perpetual and exclusive rights to the university patents on the robots," Bignall said.

But the stand-alone company also needed to raise capital for the venture. During 2007 and 2008, ReconRobotics attracted $4 million in investments. Twin Cities Angels, an investment fund, and some of its individual members have invested $750,000.

"We thought it was the right race, the right horse and the right rider," said Phil Walter, chairman of one of the Angels' two funds.

"When the military breaks loose orders for this thing, it'll break loose in a big way," Walter said.

The robots are manufactured for ReconRobotics at MFG Solutions Inc. in South St. Paul.

Ryan Douglas, MFG's chief executive, said that each year MFG selects a company to invest in, with both cash and involvement ranging from business strategy to production management.

Douglas said ReconRobotics had "an excellent product," which has the ability to support troops and first responders in tough situations.

Military Recon Robot