In brief
Developers put the price at about €680 a set, with reported trials including cargo deliveries and a casualty evacuation.
Ukrainian company Print&Live UA, working with iSCALE 3D and other specialists, has developed 3D-printed airless wheels tested on military ground robots, UNIAN reported on October 19, citing Libertatea.
The developers say a flexible network of cells made from elastomers and composite polymers can support a vehicle even after parts of the structure are damaged. They put the price at about €680 a set, while acknowledging that a powerful explosion or serious structural damage can disable a wheel.
According to the report, a TARGAN 3K 244 EVO 1 robot travelled a 210-kilometre test route, followed by 151 kilometres across 11 winter missions. During those missions it carried 1,825 kilograms of cargo and helped evacuate one wounded person. The wheels showed wear but remained functional.
A separate trial on a Rys Pro robot covered about 285 kilometres, including marshy and frozen terrain. UNIAN did not specify the exact trial dates or locations.