Last Updated on August 22, 2025 4:25 am by Laszlo Szabo / NowadAIs | Published on August 22, 2025 by Juhasz “the Mage” Gabor
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 21, 2025 — Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S), in partnership with Kleos Technology, will be introducing their new line of multi-function robots in a memorable and interactive way at the 2025 AUVSI Pathfinder Symposium next week.
IS4S is inviting members of government, industry, and academia to meet the HERO (Helicopter Expedited Refueling Operations) robot, a fully autonomous fueling robot designed to reduce the manpower required to refuel aircraft at forward arming and refueling points (FARP). HERO uses waypoint navigation, real-time path planning, and obstacle avoidance to deliver up to 400 gallons of aviation fuel to aircraft at FARP for hot refueling.
Throughout the entire refueling process HERO maximizes safety and efficiency in the field:
- A single operator uses a rugged tablet to queue multiple HERO robots to move from a fuel source (such as a truck or blivet) to specific landing pads when aircraft are inbound for refueling or rearming.
- The robots use waypoint navigation, real-time path planning, and obstacle avoidance to navigate safely around humans to their assigned landing pad.
- As a robot gets within 100 feet of the pad, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are used to identify the aircraft type and orientation and to position the robot appropriately at the aircraft’s refueling port.
- Fuel is pumped into the aircraft at the maximum allowable flow rate to ensure the fastest possible refueling operation.
- As multiple HERO robots refuel aircraft simultaneously, the operator monitors the progress and real-time status of each on the wireless tablet.
- When the refueling operation is complete, the robots navigate their way back to the fuel source for replenishment.
Overall, HERO allows for faster and safer refueling than conventional FARP operations, reduces the required workforce to operate, and provides a 5-to-1 force multiplier.
As impactful as HERO is for fueling operations, it represents just the beginning of what can be accomplished with this new line of commercial robotically enabled vehicles (CREVs). In designing CREVs, IS4S and Kleos Technology utilized a new technology integration concept to reduce cost and increase reliability: rather than embark on a clean sheet design, they use commercial construction vehicles as the base chassis and a quick-change skid-mounted payload mounting system that provides a standardized means of adapting any size robot to any payload.
Bob Henderson, IS4S Executive Vice President of Systems Integration & Co-Founder, explained the value of this method, stating, “Our line of CREVs provides warfighters with a unique fast-turn alternative to the time consuming and expensive traditional path toward robotic solutions. By leveraging our well-proven purpose-built autonomy system that is easily adaptable to any commercial drive-by-wire vehicle, a large cadre of capability can be quickly made available. CREVs are always the right size for the mission and carry thousands of pounds of active and passive quick-change payloads. All are provided with their own custom integrated shipping container outfitted to provide quick maintenance and repairs at the point of need. IS4S’s disruptive CREV approach to robotic solutions combines commercial vehicle reliability with waypoint navigation, real-time path planning, obstacle avoidance, safety around humans, and unprecedented AI capabilities. Perhaps best of all, custom configured CREVs are available in 6 to 8 weeks starting at a price point of just $100K.”
To summarize the advantages, this approach improves:
- Cost: Commercial construction vehicles are mass produced and very inexpensive. IS4S robots can be purchased for as little as $100,000 in large quantities.
- Flexibility: These vehicles are available all over the world with a wide variety of payload capacities and sizes.
- Reliability: Construction vehicles have multiple millions of hours of use in very austere environments, often with minimal maintenance. Most can be repaired in the field with hand tools in the fully outfitted custom shipping/storage container that comes with each robot.
- Autonomy: Most commercial construction vehicles are already designed for drive-by-wire operation. IS4S removes the onboard operator controls and attaches their full-capability autonomy kit to enable almost any vehicle to be used as a manually operated or fully autonomous robot.
- Reusability: Because minimal modifications are required, the vehicle can quickly be converted back to a human-operated vehicle and used for multiple other missions as required.
This foundational design innovation facilitates nearly endless use cases for these autonomous and AI-enabled robots: ammunition delivery, flightline tool and part delivery, general cargo hauling, construction, aircraft and boat positioning, perimeter security, littoral obstacle and berm breaching, at-a-distance decontamination of vehicles and equipment, firefighting, bomb disposal, remote site test support, mining and oil site support, large trailer cleaning, and beyond.
For additional information, join us at the AUVSI Pathfinder Symposium, visit IS4S.com, email Mar.Com@is4s.com, or contact:
Robert Henderson
IS4S Executive Vice President of Systems Integration & Co-Founder
Email: robert.henderson@is4s.com
SOURCE IS4S
