The integration of unmanned systems into crime is already here, and we have to ask ourselves how criminals and terrorists might use drones and robots some years from now.
Just as the internet and smartphones presented significant opportunities as well as challenges, so will this technology. Our new report by Europol’s Innovation Lab explores the future operating environment for European law enforcement agencies and suggests actions needed today in order to effectively combat crime while upholding public trust and fundamental rights tomorrow. One chapter of the report highlights the role of war as a driver for innovation in unmanned systems.
Read more…
Source: Europol
Sign up for the Counter-IED Report Newsletters
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Russia develops first combat robot that disarms mines with laser
August 21, 2026
Russian specialists have developed a laser device for remote mine clearance based on a robotic platform that renders munitions harmless at a distance of up to 500 meters by burning away the explosive material without detonation. The laser is mounted on a ground robotic system. The system offers several advantages: it is completely safe for bomb ...
- More airlines ban humanoid robots from flights over battery safety concerns
August 4, 2026
Though human- and animal-like robots might one day make ideal travel companions for some passengers, an increasing number of airlines are banning them from both the cabin and checked baggage over safety concerns. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have both announced a total ban on the devices, joining Southwest Airlines, which introduced a similar policy ...
- China: Special police hold bomb disposal robot competition
July 22, 2026
A bomb disposal robot competition was held in the city of Urumqi in northwest China’s Xinjiang Tuesday as part of a national special police contest which opened a day earlier. In the competition, contestants operated wheeled or tracked robots to cross obstacles and dispose of simulated explosives. After clearing obstacles, grabbing simulated explosives in an accurate and ...
- AV Introduces TOM 50 RE, a Backpackable UGV for Rapid Reconnaissance and Explosive Ordnance Disposal
June 15, 2026
Press Release Lightweight uncrewed ground vehicle expands mission flexibility for highly mobile units operating in complex and contested environments OSTFILDERN, GERMANY — (June 15, 2026) — AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”), a global leader in autonomous systems, today announced the launch of TOM 50 RE, a compact, backpackable uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) developed by its wholly owned subsidiary Telerob. Designed ...
- Utah: Bomb squad responds to ‘suspicious bottle’ with possible explosives near Wasatch County Library
June 13, 2026
HEBER, Utah — The Wasatch County Library was closed and a bomb squad was called in from Salt Lake City after a suspicious bottle was found Saturday morning. Heber City Police said someone called them about a bottle near the library, with a note attached saying it was intended for law enforcement and should not be ...
- United Kingdom: ‘Suspicious items’ uncovered at two homes in Fallowfield
June 8, 2026
Police have confirmed two incidents involving reports of ‘suspicious items’ in Fallowfield are being treated as linked. Emergency crews and bomb disposal experts first descended on Abram Close on Saturday evening (June 6) after a suspicious item was discovered in a front garden. A large cordon was put in place and 20 nearby homes were evacuated. The cordon remained in ...
- UK: Bomb disposal robot seen on residential Greenfield street amid major evacuation
April 26, 2026
Specialist bomb disposal unit robots were seen on a residential street after a major evacuation in Oldham throughout Sunday afternoon (April 26). Explosives teams were called to Chew Brook Drive in the Greenfield area and a property was searched amid reports of suspicious items. A number of items were later seized and sent off for further ...
- Marine EOD techs team with robots in frigid Alaskan waters
March 23, 2026
For Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Veenhuizen and his dozen-man explosive ordnance disposal team, a day on Kodiak Island means prep dives into cold Alaskan waters — a far cry from the warmer kiss of San Diego waves they call home — and the launch of little robots to scour the surf for “anomalies.” The ...
- South Korea team supports U.S. Army route clearance equipment turn-in
February 18, 2026
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM – A U.S. Army rotational unit preparing to redeploy to Fort Carson, Colorado, recently completed the turn-in of route clearance vehicles and robotic systems with support from Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services personnel in South Korea. The effort required close coordination between the Camp Humphreys disposal service representatives and the Gimcheon site ...
- Belgium: DOVO responds to street explosive discovery in Antwerp Zurenborg
January 15, 2026
An explosive device found on Ramstraat in the Zurenborg neighbourhood prompted immediate intervention by the DOVO bomb disposal service and local police. The Flemish government’s DOVO (Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen) dispatched a specialised team from their Mechelen headquarters 25 kilometres away. The unit arrived within 28 minutes carrying protective suits, x-ray scanners, and ...
- Europol: New report explores use of robotics and unmanned systems in the fight against crime
December 8, 2025
The integration of unmanned systems into crime is already here, and we have to ask ourselves how criminals and terrorists might use drones and robots some years from now. Just as the internet and smartphones presented significant opportunities as well as challenges, so will this technology. Our new report by Europol’s Innovation Lab explores the future ...
- U.S. Navy EOD Joins 17 Allied Nations for Northern Challenge 2025 in Iceland
September 23, 2025
Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians worked in tandem with 17 allied nations during Northern Challenge 2025, a multinational counter-improvised explosive device exercise Sept. 9-18 across multiple training sites in Iceland. Hosted by the Icelandic Coast Guard, Northern Challenge is NATO’s premier exercise for countering IEDs and strengthening interoperability between allied forces. The exercise brought together more ...
- Texas: An inside look at Mesquite’s bomb squad and the high stakes work they do
September 13, 2025
CBS News Texas reporter Bo Evans joined the Mesquite Fire Department’s bomb squad to give viewers an inside look at how firefighters handle explosive threats. Wearing a full bomb suit designed to protect vital organs, Evans walked through the delicate process of defusing a simulated device. Read more… Source: CBS Texas/YouTube Sign up for the Counter-IED Report Newsletters The latest ...
- India unveiled a major 15-year, multi-billion-dollar plan to transform the armed forces
September 5, 2025
The roadmap includes nuclear-powered warships, next-generation battle tanks, hypersonic missiles, stealth bomber drones, AI-powered weapons, and space-based warfare tech. The Indian Army will induct nearly 1,800 future tanks to replace the T-72 fleet, 400 light tanks for mountain warfare, 50,000 tank-mounted anti-tank guided missiles, and over 700 robotic counter-IED systems, the report said, citing the short-term ...
- NSWC Indian Head Division Influences Future EOD Technology at National Robot Rodeo
September 3, 2025
AURORA, Colo. – As leaders in the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) community, Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) participated in the 2025 National Robot Rodeo (NRR) event in Aurora, Colorado, August 11-15 and were among military, public safety, Department of Defense (DoD) and industry stakeholders showcasing technologies in real-world operational scenarios to determine ...