F&M Manufacturing incorporated in Hampstead, MD with 2 operating divisions: F&M Machine (a machine shop with a 10 year history) and Robotic Systems Technology (RST). RST was awarded a $6.3 million contract to develop the Surrogate Teleoperated Vehicle (STV) for the Unmanned Ground Vehicle Joint Program Office.

US Army awards development of the Mobile Detection Assessment and Response – Interior and then Exterior (MDARS-E) to RST. MDARS is an autonomous robotic ground vehicle intended to be used for intruder detection and inventory control at military sites.

Awarded contract from the USPS to manufacture Certified Mail Detectors used to divert certified mail from the main mail stream. Currently over 13,000 units have been manufactured and supported by GDRS.

US Army awards $57 million contract for M56/M58 smoke generator. RST is the design agent, manufacturer, and support organization for these units. This was the first smoke-generator upgrade since the Korean War.

U.S. Army TACOM awards $23 million contract for Experimental Unmanned Vehicle (XUV) System Integration, part of the DEMO III Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) Program, including development and demonstration of small, survivable unmanned ground vehicles capable of autonomous operation over rugged terrain as part of a mixed military force.

General Dynamics purchases F&M/RST – company becomes General Dynamics Robotic Systems

Army Research Laboratory awards the Collaborative Technology Alliance – Robotics contract to GDRS. This contract was created to support critical research in robotic technologies for application in Future Combat Systems. $70M+ through 2007.

US Army (TACOM) awards Vetronics Technology Integration (VTI) program to General Dynamics Land Systems and GDRS. This program completed a successful Unmanned Combat Demonstration at Ft. Bliss in the first three months of 2003.

US Army awards follow-on M56/M58 Smoke Generator Build to Performance Specifications for $34.9M.

Awarded contract for additional production of M56 smoke generators awarded by the US Army.

US Army awards first exterior autonomous robotic vehicle program to reach SDD to GDRS. Contract value is $10M+, with follow-on production options anticipated.

Awarded Lead Technology Integrator for Objective Force Warrior (OFW), now Future Force Warrior (FFW) program for the development and demonstration of revolutionary capabilities for Soldier systems.

Awarded Autonomous Navigation System (ANS) – the “intelligence” that will enable manned and unmanned Army vehicles of the future to operate autonomously, both on and off-road.  Contract value is $237M, with a period of performance through 2013.

Awarded Dismounted Operations contract by ARL to develop the Tactical Autonomous Combat-Chassis (TAC-C) as a testbed to integrate autonomous mobility capabilities on robotic vehicles which are optionally man-drivable. TAC-C vehicle variants include assault, troop transport, emergency vehicle, command and control, UAV transport and launcher.

Awarded the Supply Dispensing System development for DARPA’s Trauma Pod program to develop new robotic equipment for far forward medical treatment.

Awarded subcontract on TARDEC’s Near Autonomous Systems (NAUS) to mature and demonstrate robotic technologies on a track vehicle to mitigate risks for the Future Combat Systems Armed Robotic Vehicle (ARV), Multi-Utility Logistics and Equipment (MULE), and ANS programs.

Teamed with Aurora Flight Systems on DARPA’s OAV-II program to design the OAV’s collision avoidance system, ground control station, sensor systems and data links.

Won the SPAWAR Unmanned Surface Vehicle prototype project