Thermonator: Autonomous robot dog with flamethrower
The US company ARC Flamethrower offers a remote-controlled robot dog with a flamethrower. The focus is on civilian applications.
The Thermonator looks martial, but is also suitable for civilian use.
(Bild: ARC Flamethrower (Screenshot))
The US company ARC Flamethrower, based in Cleveland, Ohio, which also manufactures flamethrowers for private use, is now offering a four-legged robot based on a Unitree Go2 robot that is equipped with a flamethrower. However, the robot dog with the ominous name "Thermonator" is intended for largely peaceful missions, the company states.
The Thermonator is based on a Go2 robot dog from the Chinese manufacturer Unitree. The four-legged robot comes with a variety of sensors that make it ready for autonomous use. These include lidar sensors and a camera, which are used to recognize and map the environment and avoid obstacles. The Unitree Go2 without **the** flamethrower is available on the US market for around $1,600.
Flamethrower has strapped a flamethrower to the back of the Go2, which is also equipped with a spotlight and laser targeting optics. The robot 's first-person view function allows an operator to manually aim the robot dog precisely at its target using a controller.
According to Flamethrower, the flamethrower can be powered by gasoline or napalm. It includes a battery that keeps it in operation for around one hour. It is controlled remotely via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The device throws its flames just over 9 meters.
Intended use
Flamethrower advertises the Thermonator as a mobile flamethrower that is primarily intended for civilian use. For example, it can be used in forest fires to set counterfires. Other areas of application include agriculture, for the controlled burning of agricultural land, and ecological clearing, to remove dead vegetation from areas so that new plants can establish themselves. The robot dog is also used by private users, for example to clear ice from floors and, last but not least, for pure entertainment purposes.
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In the USA, flamethrowers are not subject to legal regulation in 48 states. They are not classified as firearms and are largely freely available for sale.
However, Flamethrower is clearly not only targeting civilian customers with the Thermonator: The company has set up a dedicated page for government actors, apparently also to sell the robot dog for military use. The Thermonator costs 9420 dollars.
(olb)