After the successful initial deployment of the Nabik rover in the flood-affected areas of Baligaon Union in Feni, the team is planning their second deployment in Noakhali.
Before this deployment, the rover needs some necessary adjustments. The team expects to deploy the rover on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Nabik is a surface water rover developed by students at BRAC University. Fardeen Khan, the team lead of Nabik Automation, is a 9th-term university student.
Fardeen said: “When our adviser, Dr Khalilur Rahman, heard about our plan to deploy the rover in flood-affected areas, he said he would fully support us by providing laboratory equipment and logistical support from the BracU Robotics Club.”
Sajid Ullah Sohan, president of the BracU Robotics Club, said: “We provided lab and logistical support for Nabik’s deployment. We are glad that all the members working on the project are BracU students and alumni.”
On August 25, the Nabik Automation team began equipping their rover with the necessary adjustments to distribute supplies in flood-affected areas.
On August 28, the rover successfully distributed food packages and supplies, including sanitary napkins, water purification tablets, and saline.
The rover is now awaiting another deployment in the flood-affected areas of Noakhali.
Nabik has a range of up to two kilometers, which helps deliver equipment to areas that are hostile for human rescuers. The rover can also send sound signals, enabling communication from its operating area to the control team.
Like other rovers, Nabik is equipped with a First Person View (FPV) camera, which streams a live feed to its control station.
Fardeen Khan said: “We are preparing the Nabik rover for full-capacity deployment to combat future disasters in Bangladesh.”
Previously, Nabik was tested in Dhanmondi and Hatirjheel Lake. However, Fardeen Khan noted that Nabik’s successful test run crossing the Padma Bridge in 2022 was their biggest achievement before deploying in real-world conditions.
Nabik Automations is a startup based in Canada and Bangladesh. The current team members of the startup are Fardeen Khan, Mashruzzaman, Adil Hossain, Md Saqlain Newaz Chowdhury, Abu Auhon Rahman, Fariyan Shah Fahi, Bhuban Mazumder, and Miftahul Jannat Babui.
