Key Features and Capabilities
- Size and mobility: Compact platform (85 × 81 × 41 cm), weighing around 60 kg, easily transported by two soldiers in a car or pick-up.
- Autonomy and speed: Reaches up to 7 km/h, with battery life for 8 hours of continuous operation.
- Control and optics: Remote control range of 500 m to 3 km; equipped with night-vision and day cameras, the latter offering 10× optical zoom on a 3-axis stabiliser.
- Versatility: Beyond demining, NEO-1 acts as a tug, carrying up to 70 kg or towing loads of up to 120 kg.
Innovative Demining
This Ukrainian-made UGV features a multi-channel pulse metal detector with a scanning width of 139 cm and detection depth of up to 60 cm. It automatically adapts to soil type and can identify ferrous and precious metals, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, grenades and shells. A selection mode filters out small debris (fragments, screws), boosting sapper efficiency. With simple controls (automatic and manual), the system can be operated not only by engineering units but by any trained serviceperson.
Scaling and Robotisation Plans
The deployment of NEO-1 is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to secure technological superiority. In the first six months of 2026 alone, the Ministry of Defence plans to contract over 25,000 unmanned ground vehicles — double last year’s figure. The ultimate goal is to shift 100% of frontline logistics to unmanned robots.
This drive has already seen the codification of Bizon-L, a UGV equipped with six communication types including Starlink and LTE, strengthening counter-electronic warfare capabilities.
For detailed specifications of NEO-1, visit this link.