Sarcos Defense, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sarcos Robotics, has announced the commercial availability of its Guardian Heavy-Lift System (HLS). The Guardian HLS is a man-packable pneumatic heavy-lift system designed to quickly and efficiently lift objects weighing up to 45,000 pounds with a single system. It can also be combined with multiple systems to lift larger amounts.
The Guardian HLS comprises a single battery-powered pneumatic compressor, together with two proprietary, re-usable airbags made from Dyneema fiber, enabling the lift of substantial military assets including land vehicles, machinery, and fuel tanks. The rapid-deploy system is capable of lifting a Class 2 commercial vehicle in less than one minute and enables quicker recovery, repair, and servicing missions in the field.
Sarcos Defense worked with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to produce the Guardian HLS. The goal was a system that would be faster, lighter, and more stable than other alternatives while eliminating the need to carry high-pressure air canisters and enabling a lift capacity of more than twice the current maximum.
“The Guardian HLS is a great example of the successful commercialization of a product that meets a critical military need thanks to the funding and collaboration made possible by the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Program,” said Dr. Alok Das, Senior Scientist at AFRL’s Center for Rapid Innovation. “It is gratifying to see our innovation efforts result in products that will better equip our community to complete recovery, rescue, and maintenance missions faster and more safely than they could before.”
The Guardian HLS has been extensively field-tested and deployed in harsh environments around the world and is now available for purchase by military and public safety organizations to support asset recovery, emergency response, and field maintenance operations.
