Barnard Microsystems Limited

• The MoD Grand Challenge kick-off meeting took place on Monday 30th July 2007 at Copehill Down, some 12 km from Stonehenge.
• Six " Group 1" Teams will participate with funding from the MoD. Barnard Microsystems Limited leads one of these Teams.
• Eight " Group 2" Teams will participate using private funding
• The Teams have one year to prepare for the competition to take place in August 2008

Welcome to Copehill Down.

Historic house 34, somewhere behind the old Iron Curtain...

A heavy gun mounted on the back of an ordinary vehicle....

A variety of weapons that could be used in urban warfare.

An interesting array of weapons typically used by insurgents in Afghanistan.

One form of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated using a radio, well explained by the military personnel.

Everyone engulfed in smoke from smoke grenades: the start to an impressive infantry house clearing demonstration, complete with close machine gun fire, loud bombs exploding, doors being blown off and loads of shouting...

And for the more obstinate folk: some more serious fire power.

The less expensive part of town: ideal for first time house buyers...

The " Buster" (variant of Desert Hawk) Unmanned Air Vehicle that has been used by British forces in Afghanistan

The newer, battery powered, Unmanned Air Vehicle used by British forces in the Middle East

Some contestants brought along interesting measuring gadgets: looks like a Canon Powershot S2 IS digital camera + IR or thermal imager + GPS set + possibly an electronic compass. If you just brought your digital camera intent on generating panoramic images, you were definitely short on the gadget side of things.

The Army photographer keeping a record of events.