Nine teams of innovators showcase products to help Ukrainian sappers

This is about the platforms designed to mow grass in mine-infested areas, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Economy Ministry.

"The main request to developers is to create robotic mowers that could effectively mow vegetation and at the same time be inexpensive to manufacture, making it easier to quickly replace them in case they get blown up. On a field with mowed grass, the level of threat to sappers is lower (...). And this, in turn, significantly speeds up the demining process," said Dmytro Panshyn, head of the Humanitarian Demining Department.

Nine teams presented various products for mowing, ranging from multi-platforms to robotic tractors. The price of such products ranges from $5,500 to $19,500 per unit. Individual developers are able to produce from 30 to 100 mowers per month.

Hackathon participants heard evaluations and comments from the jury, which included military sappers. After finalization, the prototypes will be tested on the ground. The machines that pass certification could be purchased for the needs of sappers from both government bodies and private operators.

As reported, Ukraine introduced compensation for farmers as part of the demining incentive. Farmers whose lands have already been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance by certified mine action operators (CMOs) between February 24, 2022 and April 15, 2024 are eligible for applying.