On May 31, the first stage of the “Safe Field” hackathon took place, during which nine Ukrainian teams of developers presented their inventions – robotic mowers that will help sappers to effectively mow thick grass in areas that require demining.
About  ;reported by the Ministry of Economy, “Delo.ua” reports.
Head of the Department for Humanitarian Demining, Dmytro Panshin, said that the main requirement for developers was to create robotic mowers that could effectively mow vegetation and at the same time, they should be inexpensive to produce, so that in the event of an explosion, such machines can be quickly replaced.
He noted that on a field with mowed grass, the level of danger for a sapper is lower, because it is easier for him to detect explosive objects. And this, in turn, significantly speeds up the demining process.
It is reported that the teams presented a variety of products: from multi-platforms to robotic tractors. The price range of the equipment is $5.5-19.5 thousand per unit. Some developers can produce from 30 to 100 mowers per month.
Prototypes received evaluations and comments from a jury, which included military sappers. After finalization, the inventions will be tested in the field.
“The main request to the developers is to create inexpensive robotic mowers that could be quickly replaced in the event of an explosion. On a mowed field, the level of danger for the sapper is lower, because it is easier to detect explosive objects “, explained the head of the Department for Humanitarian Demining, Dmytro Panshin.
Following the results of tests and certification, the machines can be purchased by both state structures and private operators of mine action activities.