FBI bomb technician says robots and drones keep agents out of harm's way

Special Agent Aiden, the bomb technician team leader at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Washington Field Office, described how the bureau uses robots, drones and quadruped "dog" robots to assess explosive threats remotely and reduce risk to personnel.

He told attendees that "robots come in different sizes," noting that "other bomb squads have larger ones" while "some bomb squads have smaller ones," and that the FBI robot they deploy "fits what we needed to do." The agent said those choices reflect differing partner capabilities and mission needs.

Aiden emphasized the operational purpose of the equipment: "But it allows us to remotely assess a problem, deploy countermeasures to address that threat, and all do it without putting a person downrange in a hazardous environment." He said the team now pairs traditional remotely operated robots with drones and quadruped robots as complementary tools.

The agent described drones and quadrupeds as "key parts of being able to stay remote" so the bureau can avoid placing agents in dangerous proximity to suspected explosive devices. He did not provide procurement details, deployment locations, or specific models and said nothing in the record about changes to policy or formal actions.

The presentation provided an overview of how robotics and unmanned platforms are being used by the field office; no votes, motions or formal decisions were recorded during the remarks.