Robot Used to Kill Dallas Shooter Was the Remotec Andros Mark V-A1
Posted on July 11, 2016
A robot was used to kill the shooter last week during the Dallas incident when five police officers were killed. The robot delivered a bomb to end the standoff between the shooter and police. This type of robot is typically used to investigate or explode suspicious objects. This is the first time police have used a robot to deliver an explosive to kill a person.
The robot used was the Remotec Andros Mark V-A1. It is a product of Northrop Grumman. It features a manipulator arm, gripper, color surveillance and a drive system powerful enough to breach forward facing doors. The robot is operated by a remote control. You can read more about it in this brochure. The Washington Post reports that the robot was carrying a one-pound payload of C-4.
We may one day look back on the Dallas incident as the starting point for the use of lethal robots in law enforcement. The use of the robot to deliver a bomb likely helped prevent additional injury to Dallas police officers. The use of robots to kill suspects does raise ethical questions about how robots can and should be used by law enforcement.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown told CNN, "I approved it and would do it again if presented with same circumstances." He also added, "Without our actions, he would have, he would have hurt more officers."
Using the robot to kill the Dallas shooter seems justified but what if a similar method were used on a suspect whose guilt was less obvious? CNN looks at some of the questions raised by the use of the robot bomb in this article.
Chief Brown talks about the use of the robot in this CNN interview: