German military drones, robots hunt radioactive waste in danger zones

German researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics (FKIE) have developed AI-powered drones and robots designed to rapidly detect radioactive waste in hazardous or inaccessible environments. These unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and ground vehicles (UGV) integrate gamma detectors with electro-optical and infrared cameras, combined with advanced sensor fusion, automation, and probabilistic search algorithms. The technology can localize radioactive sources within a few feet in minutes, significantly reducing the time needed to find radioactive, chemical, or biological hazards during emergencies. This project is supported by the Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection (WIS). The detection process involves two phases: an initial exploration phase where the drone follows a predefined flight path measuring background radiation, and a targeted search phase triggered by anomaly detection. In the search phase, the drone autonomously adjusts its flight path using real-time sensor data and stochastic algorithms that estimate the probable location of radioactive sources. The system generates