Sonid Defense Korea showcases explosive detection and mine clearance robots with Polish state-owned company PIAP

Defense Korea, a subsidiary of SonyD (CEO Oh Jung-geon), a KOSDAQ-listed company specializing in AI counter-terrorism equipment development, announced on the 27th that it will participate in the '2023 Defense Industry Parts and Equipment Exhibition and Advanced Defense Industry Expo' to showcase an explosive detection and mine removal robot jointly developed with the Polish state-owned company PIAP Industrial Automation Research Institute.

The event will be held from the 28th to the 30th of this month at the Daejeon Convention Center, hosted by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Daejeon Metropolitan City, and organized by the Agency for Defense Development and Daejeon Tourism Organization. Eight major companies including Hanwha, LIG Nex1, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and 134 small and medium-sized enterprises including Doota Technology will participate to demonstrate various advanced technologies.

The explosive detection and mine removal robot exhibited by Defense Korea at this event is equipped with the world's first 99% recoil-free explosive disposal equipment and a non-contact explosive detection device applying nano-optical sensor technology, meeting the Ministry of National Defense's Defense Acquisition Program Administration external bidding specifications.

Regarding the recoil-free explosive disposal equipment, it has been developed as a five-shot launcher for explosive disposal and drone mounting and is currently being exported overseas.

For the explosive detection equipment, it features a non-contact method with nearly 100% detection capability, differentiating it from existing explosive detection devices such as GPR sensors and metal detector sensors, whose performance can degrade to below 50% due to soil conditions. Recently, an export contract was signed with an Indian company, and export negotiations are underway with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In April, SonyD and PIAP signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly develop explosive detection and mine removal robots as well as industrial disaster prevention robots. SonyD invests funds for robot development and manufacturing, while its subsidiaries Defense Korea and SonyD Robotics develop AI, autonomous driving, and add-on technologies. PIAP is responsible for manufacturing and supplying multipurpose large robots such as the PIAP IBIS.

A representative from Defense Korea stated, “We will further strengthen and develop our cooperative relationship with the Polish state-owned company and do our best to ensure that the developed explosive detection and mine removal robots are exported worldwide.”