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Single locomotion robots often struggle to adapt in highly variable or uncertain environments, especially in emergencies. In this paper, a multi-modal deformable robot is introduced that can both fly and drive. Compatibility issues with…
This paper presents a new flight control framework for tilt-rotor multirotor uncrewed aerial vehicles (MRUAVs). Tiltrotor designs offer full actuation but introduce complexity in control allocation due to actuator redundancy. We propose a…
We introduce SplitFlyer--a novel quadcopter with an ability to disassemble into two self-contained bicopters through human assistance. As a subunit, the bicopter is a severely underactuated aerial vehicle equipped with only two propellers.…
The use of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) for inspection and surveillance missions has proved to be extremely useful, however, their usability is negatively impacted by the large power requirements and the limited operating time. This work…
In this paper, a reconfigurable control scheme for a generalized class of multicopters is presented to overcome single or multiple rotor failures. In a multicopter, the rotor failure heavily affects its dynamics and thus its…
Cargo drones are designed to carry payloads with predefined shape, size, and/or mass. This lack of flexibility requires a fleet of diverse drones tailored to specific cargo dimensions. Here we propose a new reconfigurable drone based on a…
In this paper, we present a generalized, comprehensive nonlinear mathematical model and conceptual design for the MetaMorpher, a metamorphic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) designed to bridge the gap between vertical takeoff and landing…
Enabling vertical take-off and landing while providing the ability to fly long ranges opens the door to a wide range of new real-world aircraft applications while improving many existing tasks. Tiltrotor vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)…
Over the last few decades, multicopters have become significantly popular because of their various applications. However, multicopters suffer from poor endurance performance as compared to other aircraft configurations with lifting…
The operation of multirotors in crowded environments requires a highly reliable takeoff method, as failures during takeoff can damage more valuable assets nearby. The addition of a ballistic launch system imposes a deterministic path for…
We introduce and analyze a model for self-reconfigurable robots made up of unit-cube modules. Compared to past models, our model aims to newly capture two important practical aspects of real-world robots. First, modules often do not occupy…
This work presents a prototype of a multirotor aerial vehicle capable of precision landing, even under the effects of rotor failures. The manuscript presents the fault-tolerant techniques and mechanical designs to achieve a fault-tolerant…
This article introduces an experimental emulation of a novel chunk-based flexible multi-DoF aerial 3D printing framework. The experimental demonstration of the overall autonomy focuses on precise motion planning and task allocation for a…
Self-assembly enables multi-robot systems to merge diverse capabilities and accomplish tasks beyond the reach of individual robots. Incorporating varied docking mechanisms layouts (DMLs) can enhance robot versatility or reduce costs.…
We introduce collision-resilient aerial vehicles with icosahedron tensegrity structures, capable of surviving high-speed impacts and resuming operations post-collision. We present a model-based design approach, which guides the selection of…
The advantage of modular self-reconfigurable robot systems is their flexibility, but this advantage can only be realized if appropriate configurations (shapes) and behaviors (controlling programs) can be selected for a given task. In this…
Legged machines are becoming increasingly agile and adaptive but they have so far lacked the morphological diversity of legged animals, which have been rearranged and reshaped to fill millions of niches. Unlike their biological…
Modular self-reconfigurable robots (MSRRs) offer enhanced task flexibility by constructing various structures suitable for each task. However, conventional terrestrial MSRRs equipped with wheels face critical challenges, including…
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially multicopters, have recently gained popularity for use in surveillance, monitoring, inspection, and search and rescue missions. Their maneuverability and ability to operate in confined spaces make…
This paper presents the design concept, modeling and motion planning solution for the aerial robotic chain. This design represents a configurable robotic system of systems, consisting of multi-linked micro aerial vehicles that…