- Digger DTR
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The Digger Foundation is a Swiss humanitarian and non profit organization. The Foundation is based in Tavannes, Switzerland, and its goal is to promote technological assistance project in humanitarian demining. The Foundation produce demining vehicles marketed and branded “Digger DTR (Demining Technologies)”.
Contents
History
The founder of Digger DTR, Frédéric Guerne, had worked as an engineer at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) on landmine detection projects, which ended in 1997. Passionate and engaged, he gathered around him about thirty volunteers from different but complementary fields and with the necessary know-how and in 1998 the team took up work. Initially an association, Digger DTR became a foundation in 2005.
The anteater is the symbol of Digger. Its long, tubular snouts and its tapering tongue help it to search, dig and clean the ground.
Produced machines[1]
D-1
Digger DTR's first device, the D-1, was a radio-controlled, tracked flail mower devoted to clearing scrubland and severing tripwires. The D-1 was armoured for protection from incidental mine detonation. Digger DTR estimates that clearing brush from a minefield (thereby exposing any obscured mines) doubles the rate at which human deminers can work while reducing casualties by 80%.
D-2
Taking in consideration remarks and comments of deminers following tests of D-1, engineers and technicians of Digger DTR developed a new concept: the Digger D-2. Unlike D-1 this machine is able to detonate mines as well as cutting vegetation. This is accomplished by the addition of a mine flail unit. Hitting the ground violently, it can dig up to 20 cm deep. After its passage, most of mines are detonated and work of demining personnel is simpler and safer. That helps to increase the speed of de-mining from five to ten times. For its new tasks, D-2 is equipped with a more powerful engine, 140 horsepower (100 kW) against 57 horsepower (43 kW) for D-1. However, human control still remains important to ensure complete removal of mines. Even with the added measure of safety brought about by the development of the Digger DTR machines, mines remain a significant hazard to civilians in current and past war zones.
D-3
In March 2009, the first Digger D-3 machine is sold to Croatia. In continuation of earlier versions, several updates were added, including a new motor for a more efficient work in all kind of fields.[2]
Tests and success
In summer of 2002, the D-1 prototype was tested in Kosovo. This operation showed the weaknesses of the machine. After improvement, it was extensively tested in Switzerland, with the cooperation of the Swiss Army. Ultimately, following their goal of creating the most effective tool, Digger decided not put the D-1 into production.
In 2006, the first D-2 vehicle was sent to Sudan in a test operation, in collaboration with the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), the financing of the city of Geneva (Switzerland), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss Army, the Canton of Berne (Switzerland) and Swiss Solidarity.Extreme conditions, like temperatures of 45°C, dense vegetation or very hard ground had taught the Digger staff about potential of their tool. After 9 months of testing, Digger D-2 had been integrated into a demining team of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD). The team was accredited by the United Nations in October 2006, which is an essential step before working in mine fields. A D-2 unit was then used near Kurmuk, a village on the Ethiopian and Sudanese border, until June 2007. Following good results in harsh conditions, the UN recommended this machine to other potential users in Sudan. The UK based NGO Mines Advisory Group (MAG) continued to work with this machine in Kurmuk in 2007 and 2008. Following the positive feedbacks from the field, the British organization “The Development Initiative (TDI)” purchased a standardized D-2 in July 2007 for their South-Sudan program.
D-2 has also been certified by ITEP (International Test and Evaluation Program for Humanitarian Demining), a neutral and international organization. The very positive report may be downloaded on their web site.
Technical data sheet Digger D-2[3]
Dimensions data
- Overall length 5450 mm
- Overall width 2250 mm
- Height 1800 mm
- Mass total 8000 kg
- Armour 10 mm hardened steel
Engine
- Type John Deere, 4 cylinders, turbodiesel
- Displacement 4500 cm3
- Max power 140 ch
- Max torque 540 Nm
Powertrain
Type Hydrostatic, electronic remote control
See also
Notes and references
- ^ "Our History". http://www.digger.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4%3Ahistorique&catid=4%3Ahistorique&Itemid=8&lang=en. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue 2006, GICHD, Geneva March 2006. (pages 130,131,163)
External links
Categories:- Humanitarian aid organizations
- Mine warfare
- Organisations based in Bern
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