Month: February 2026

Video: #47: Battlefield Damage Assessment Tool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asfj3PT-nXg It may have been designed for combat, but its new mission is helping communities recover from natural disasters. The Battlefield Damage Assessment Tool, a technology developed by ERDC, gives first responders a rapid, data-driven view of damage, helping them allocate critical resources more efficiently after events like wildfires and hurricanes. We go behind the…

Read More

#47: From the Frontlines to the Homefront: Battlefield Damage Assessment Tool is helping with natural disaster response

What if a tool designed for combat could become a lifeline in the wake of natural disasters? The Battlefield Damage Assessment Tool, a system that provides rapid analysis in combat environments, has been deployed to help first responders allocate key resources more efficiently following wildfires and hurricanes. We discuss the technology and its development with…

Read More

Podcast Resources: #46: DPW and R&D Shops

Listen to Episode 46 to hear a discussion of two unsung teams whose efforts magnify ERDC’s research capabilities. That includes three fabrication shops (pictured above) where master craftsmen – welders, machinists and model makers – turn research concepts into a tangible reality. Meanwhile, ERDC’s Directorate of Public Works, or DPW, is responsible for maintaining the…

Read More

Video: #46: DPW and R&D Shops

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UMcvL2iLTM We are exploring a pair of unsung teams whose efforts magnify ERDC’s research capabilities. That includes three fabrication shops where master craftsmen – welders, machinists and model makers – turn research concepts into a tangible reality. Meanwhile, ERDC’s Directorate of Public Works, or DPW, is responsible for maintaining the organization’s facilities and infrastructure –…

Read More

#46: Building Capacity for Discovery: Craftsmen, technicians work behind the scenes to bring ERDC research to life

We are exploring a pair of unsung teams whose efforts magnify ERDC’s research capabilities. That includes three fabrication shops where master craftsmen – welders, machinists and model makers – turn research concepts into a tangible reality. Meanwhile, ERDC’s Directorate of Public Works, or DPW, is responsible for maintaining the organization’s facilities and infrastructure – including…

Read More

Video: #45: Robot Coyote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZyYytdaVMw Bird strikes are a persistent and costly threat to aviation safety. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, more than 13,000 strikes are reported in the U.S. each year, costing hundreds of millions in damages and endangering both civilian and military aircraft. We are joined by ERDC’s Dr. Jake Jung and Dr. Brian Washburn with…

Read More

#45: Robot coyote prototype blends engineering with natural world expertise

Bird strikes are a persistent and costly threat to aviation safety. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, more than 13,000 strikes are reported in the U.S. each year, costing hundreds of millions in damages and endangering both civilian and military aircraft. We are joined by ERDC’s Dr. Jake Jung and Dr. Brian Washburn with the…

Read More

Podcast Resources: #45: Robot Coyote

To address the threat of wildlife strikes in aviation, ERDC and USDA are developing and testing an innovative solution called the “robot coyote.” This ground-based drone can patrol airfields to deter wildlife and prevent aircraft collisions. Since May 2025, word of the “robot coyotes” has gone viral, generating more than 500 million views across hundreds…

Read More

Podcast Resources: #44: Robotics for Engineer Operations

ERDC’s Robotics for Engineer Operations program develops robotic capabilities that allow combat engineers to perform dangerous tasks, such as clearing minefields, breaching obstacles and digging defensive positions without exposing themselves to danger. Listen to the podcast with Dr. Ahmet Soylemezoglu discussing REO: PowerofERDCpodcast.org/44-REO. Watch the video of the interview: PowerofERDCpodcast.org/44-REO_video For inquiries about REO, email ERDCinfo@usace.army.mil….

Read More

Video: #44: Robotics for Engineer Operations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBMZV-ICZ8E Video: #44: Robotics for Engineer Operations Combat engineers perform some of the military’s most dangerous duties, from breaching obstacles and clearing minefields to constructing front-line defensive positions while under enemy assault. ERDC’s Robotics for Engineer Operations – or REO — program is helping them do so safely. REO develops robotic capabilities that allow combat…

Read More