McConnel has unveiled Robopower, a next-generation unmanned remote-control tractor. Driven by a high-performance 140hp Deutz turbo diesel engine, Robopower features three-point linkage and PTO at the front and rear, making it compatible with all suitable agricultural and industrial attachments.
Proven remote-control technology ensures an effecting working range of up to 150m – enhancing safety by removing the operator from the danger zone and opening up previously hazardous, hard-to reach and restricted access areas. An emergency stop button is available on both the controls and the tractor unit for an instant shutdown.
Powerful enough to drive two attachments simultaneously, Robopower is still extremely agile and can tackle slopes of up to 40 degrees thanks to a unique low centre of gravity design and piston-driven high-grip 400mm tracks.
Constructed from super-strength steel, and boasting a reinforced chassis, Robopower weighs in at 4,650kg and has been designed to thrive in challenging environments from embankment maintenance to forestry and airports to industrial zones.
The unit’s intuitive skid-steer capability delivers the best in manoeuvrability and ensures Robopower is effective in confined working environments.
The feature-packed three-stick control unit allows precise proportional control of the tractor unit as well as both front and rear attachments.

The operator can adjust speed and positioning; change the steering bias when working on slopes for greater accuracy; and control auxiliary functions to the front and rear – all from the control unit. Responsive and easy-to-learn, Robopower’s controls can be mastered in minutes and feature progressive speed control for smooth manoeuvring – the further forward the stick is moved, the faster the speed of the machine.
Robopower comes with a suite of advanced features including: a quick-clean fan that ejects vegetation debris from the radiator matrix in seconds and improves cooling and fuel-efficiency of the machine; a high-capacity 125-litre fuel tank that enables the machine to work all day without the need to refuel; low-maintenance technology – including automatic self-tightening of the tracks and easy access to key components; working speeds of up to 10km/hr; and a high-performance hydraulic oil cooler for a consistent performance.
“With proven remote-control technology and the almost limitless functionality of a three-point linkage, Robopower instantly becomes one of the toughest, most powerful and most productive remote control machines anywhere in the world,” McConnel’s general manager, Christian Davies, said.

(Source – http://www.wnif.co.uk/articles/1392/1/McConnel-Innovative-unmanned-remote-control-tractor/Page1.html)