Unmanned ground vehicle with compact manipulator stowing

A method for controlling an unmanned ground vehicle, the method comprising:

• controlling, by a robot controller, a manipulator arm of the unmanned ground vehicle to stow the manipulator arm in a stowed position entirely within a geometric volume of right and left driven track assemblies of the unmanned ground vehicle;
• controlling, by the robot controller, the manipulator arm to extend from the stowed position to as extended position outside of the geometric volume of the right and left drive track assemblies;
• and
• controlling, by the robot controller, the unmanned ground vehicle to interact with an object using the manipulator arm;
• wherein the manipulator arm comprises a first section pivotally coupled to the main body at a pivot end and a second section pivotally coupled to the first section at an end opposite the pivot end;
• wherein the manipulator arm comprises a sensor suite mounted on a bridge between the first section and the second section.