The pressure hull of the second UNEXMIN UX-1 robot – UX-1b – has recently been produced, with mechanical parts put together and pressure tested, in Finland, as part of the Tampere University of Technology’s (TUT) work. In late February it was on its way to Porto, Portugal, where the technical teams (INESC TEC, UPM, UNIM) will assemble all the components and test the new robot in a pool where both hardware and software will be proved. The aim is to have two operational robots – UX-1a and UX-1b – ready for the field missions at the Urgeiriça uranium mine, in Portugal.

UX-1b, the second robot from the multi-robotic platform created within the UNEXMIN project, will be similar to its first counterpart, but with some other specificities. Mainly, differences are on the scientific payload will be seen between the two robots. This will guarantee that different sensors are carried while reducing the size, weight and power demands for individual robots to do the exploration and mapping of the flooded mine environment.

The Urgeiriça trials will happen during March and April 2019, 9–10 days in each month. Between the two sets of missions, the robots will be fine-tuned and tested in INESC-TEC’s testing pool in Porto. Here, the autonomy, control, movement and data collection and analysis of the robots will be extensively studied in order to get the most out of the robotic system.The next few weeks will see the birth of a new UX-1 robot that will bring the UNEXMIN platform one step closer to its final state.