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TIKAD, the Future Soldier, saves lives by replacing boots on the ground. Duke Robotics will work with select government clients around the globe with the goal to reduce the number of deployed troops as well as empower troops with immediate air-power deployment, improving prospects of mission success, minimizing battlefield injuries, loss of life to friendly troops and saving innocent civilians. Meet TIKAD: the gun-toting drone that can aim, fire, and compensate for recoil.

Why it matters to you

Sending soldiers on foot into some of the world's toughest warzones isn't always the best solution. TIKAD's creators hope this drone could provide a solution.

Have you ever looked at a drone and thought, “Yeah, that’s kind of neat, but I sure wish it came with some mounted firearms?” If so, you may be interested to hear about the TIKAD: a new drone that’s described by its Florida-based creators Duke Robotics as the “Future Soldier.”

Intended for military deployment, TIKAD is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to replace boots on the ground in some of the toughest warzones on the planet. It weighs 110 pounds (50kg), can fly at an altitude of anywhere from 30 – 1,500 feet and — oh yes — did we mention that it can sport a plethora of semi automatic weapons, and a 40mm grenade launcher for good measure?

“As a former Special Mission Unit commander, I have been in the battlefield for many years, and more than once I hoped that a different solution other than sending in the troops existed,” CEO Raziel Atuar told Digital Trends. “At Duke Robotics, we wanted to create something that would be a game changer in future battles, [and] that could save lives of troops, as well as uninvolved civilians, in the combat zone.”

Atuar says that, as classic army versus army confrontations on battlefield have become increasingly rare, tools intended for guerilla warfare have become more important than ever. That’s where the requirement for a drone that’s capable of firing small arms from the air comes into play. TIKAD features plenty of smart tech, but perhaps its smartest tools are its high levels of accuracy and a proprietary robotic stabilization system that enables it to absorb the recoil of its mounted gun as it’s fired. (This stabilization platform can also be used as a standalone unit for snipers on the ground.)

“TIKAD is ready to be delivered,” Atuar continued. “We are in the process of implementing an initial order from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and we are in contact with selected governments as potential customers. For obvious reasons, our government customers are highly sensitive regarding this type of information, and it is up to them to decide if and when to share more information [about where these drones are deployed].”

The drone is capable of being fitted with a sniper rifle, grenade launcher, a machine gun, or a variety of other weapons, Defense One and Popular Mechanics reported.

European emergency services are being trained on how to use consumer drones in rescue operations and emergencies, including chemical spills, car accidents and widespread fires. Ireland's Donegal Mountain Rescue Team has been using advanced drone software to help coordinate search and rescue missions in remote areas, while the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department in Denmark will be taught how to use drones to combat fires, chemical accidents and pile ups in both urban and over-water conditions.

The Phantom and Inspire drones have been supplied by Chinese hobby drone company and market leader DJI in a partnership with the European Emergency Number Association (EENA), providing pilot teams with the sophisticated technology.

The partnership could be extended across other organisations in Europe following the EENA's annual conference this week.
How drones can save lives

Romeo Durscher, DJI's director of education, said drones were improving the future of human responses to dangerous situations without further endangering lives.

"Drones are transforming the way first response and civil protection missions operate by not only helping commanders make faster, smarter and better informed decisions, but also by providing first responders with more detailed information from an aerial perspective," he said. "The technology is easy to deploy and can be used in dangerous situations without risking pilots' lives. This ultimately saves lives and property."

Earlier this year it was reported more than a quarter of the 43 police forces in England and Wales were considering using drones in high risk operations and to trace burglary suspects.

Steve Barry, the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on drones, said they were likely to become a common sight and used in a wide range of criminal investigations.

"If someone breaks into your shed and then makes off, and there are dozens of back sheds he might be hiding in ... drones could be the perfect solution. They would be quicker than dogs," he said.

Tokyo's police force introduced an elite fleet of interceptor drones designed to chase and catch suspicious-looking drones in nets flying over sensitive locations amid concerns for the prime minister's safety late last year.

Riot police will control the camera-equipped interceptor drones to chase after private drones they feel may be spying on buildings, including the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's office, and ensnare them in large nets before returning to the ground.

Those controlling the force drone will first warn the suspicious drone's operator to cease the flight, before pursuing them.

UK retailers saw sales of consumer drones rise 24 per cent over Christmas 2015.

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