Defence & EOD Robots

Buying advice

Ask for standard test method results

Brochures show EOD robots and unmanned ground vehicles in their best light, so ask for performance measured against shared test methods instead. ASTM International's Subcommittee E54.09 on Response Robots develops standard tests for mobility, sensing, radio communication and manipulation, which let you compare platforms such as the QinetiQ TALON, iRobot 510 PackBot and ECA Group CAMELEON LG on the same terms. Where a maker has no results to share, ask whether you can run selected tests yourself, with your own operators, before you commit. Testing with the people who will use the robot also shows how long they take to become proficient.

Build export approvals into the procurement timeline

Treat export approval as a project task with its own owner and timeline. Within the EU, Regulation (EU) 2021/821 governs the export, brokering, technical assistance and transit of dual-use items, and other countries run their own regimes. Ask each maker how its robot, accessories and software are classified, which licences a sale to your organisation needs, and who applies for them. Check whether spare parts, repairs abroad and software updates trigger fresh approvals, because a robot that cannot be serviced across a border loses much of its value to the team that bought it.

Match the platform role to your procedures

This page mixes compact EOD platforms with larger carrier vehicles, so decide which role you are filling before comparing prices. On a check in October 2026, prices shown here started near $30,000 with the Tencore TerMIT and climbed to near $280,000 with the ECA Group CAMELEON LG, and every listing had a published price. Beyond the sticker, plan for operator courses and refresher training, spare batteries, tool kits and attachments, radio equipment and any frequency licences. Ask how long the maker expects to support the model, and whether neighbouring agencies or partner units already run the same platform, since shared spares and training lower the cost of ownership.

What to look for

• Manipulator reach, lift capacity and tool options for your procedures
• Control range, communication links and operator training requirements
• Export controls, end-user requirements and approvals that apply in your country

Common questions

Who can buy defence and EOD robots?

Equipment in this category may be subject to export controls and end-user requirements that vary by country. Request a quote on The Humanoid Group and include your organisation and intended use.

What is the difference between an EOD robot and a UGV?

EOD robots are compact platforms built around a manipulator arm and cameras for examining suspect devices. Larger unmanned ground vehicles typically carry equipment and modular payloads over longer distances.

Sources and further reading

• Subcommittee E54.09 on Response Robots — ASTM International.
  The ASTM group writing test methods for ground and aerial response robots: mobility, sensing, radio links and manipulation.
• Regulation (EU) 2021/821 setting up a Union regime for the control of exports of dual-use items (recast) — European Union, EUR-Lex.
  The EU's dual-use export control law, covering exports, brokering, technical assistance and transit.