The robot is a disc-shaped vehicle with a camera that the operator can remotely tilt from horizontal to vertical. Its two large drive wheels and small caster wheel allow it to turn in place and operate on rough surfaces. It has a low enough height that it can drive right under vehicles and look upward at areas not easily accessible to a human inspector. The video signal is transmitted back to the operator, who wears a vest with a video screen and joystick controller. The vest also incorporates a battery pack and radio transmitter, making the system compact and portable.

UVIS stands apart from other under-vehicle inspection systems in many ways:
It operates remotely so the operator can stay a safe distance away from potential explosives. It requires no setup of ground equipment. UVIS can operate on gravel and other rough surfaces and climb over objects and low curbs, yet the UVIS vehicle weighs less than fifteen pounds. UVIS has a target cost of less than $10,000.