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 the multirotor to prevent collisions with its environment, as well as increases the multirotor's range of operation and allows deployment from an unsteady platform. In addition, outfitting planetary rovers or entry vehicles with such deployable multirotors has the potential to greatly extend the data collection capabilities of a mission. A proof-of-concept multirotor aircraft has been developed, capable of transitioning from a ballistic launch configuration to a fully controllable flight configuration in midair after launch. The transition is accomplished via passive unfolding of the multirotor arms, triggered by a nichrome burn wire release mechanism. The design is 3D printable, launches from a three-inch diameter barrel, and has sufficient thrust to carry a significant payload. The system has been fabricated and field tested from a moving vehicle up to 50mph to successfully demonstrate the feasibility of the concept and experimentally validate the design's aerodynamic stability and deployment reliability. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALVideos of the experiments: https://youtu.be/ sQuKJfllyRM Technology,
Aircraft that can launch ballistically and convert to autonomous, free-flying drones have applications in many areas such as emergency response, defense, and space exploration, where they can gather critical situational data using onboard sensors. This paper presents a ballistically-launched, autonomously-stabilizing multirotor prototype (SQUID-Streamlined Quick Unfolding Investigation Drone) with an onboard sensor suite, autonomy pipeline, and passive aerodynamic stability. We demonstrate autonomous transition from passive to vision-based, active stabilization, confirming the multirotor's ability to autonomously stabilize after a ballistic launch in a GPS-denied environment.
The design, modeling, simulation, and testing of a landing gear system that enables a UAV to perch on an object or surface is presented here. The working principle of the landing gear is inspired by the anatomy of birds that grasp and perch as tendons in their legs and feet are tensioned. In a similar fashion, as the UAV sets down on a structure, its weight tensions a cable which actuates opposing, flexible, multi-segment feet to enclose the target. To analyze the grasping capability of the design, a hybrid empirical–computational model is developed that can be used to simulate the kinematics of the system as it grasps objects of various cross-sectional shapes and sizes. The model relates the curvature of the feet to the displacement and tension of the cable tendon. These quantities are then related to the weight of the UAV through the leg geometry. It also evaluates enclosure and calculates contact forces to quantitatively characterize the grasp. Results demonstrate how the model can be used by designers to determine how a UAV can perch upon a structure of a given shape and size. If perched, the minimum weight required to maintain its position is calculated. A prototype system was fabricated, analyzed, and tested on a radio-controlled hexacopter. Experiments show that the landing gear enables the hexacopter to land, perch, and takeoff from a variety of objects. Finally, we begin to investigate the scalability of the concept with a smaller, lighter design.
To support the design of a mechanism with two opposing, underactuated, multi-segmented feet that enables a small UAV to grasp and perch upon a branch or similar structure, a hybrid empirical-computational model has been developed that can be used to predict whether the mechanism can kinematically grasp structures with a range of cross-section shapes and sizes in various orientations and to quantify the forces exerted by the grasp. The model, based on experimentally-determined parameters, relates the curvature of the feet to the displacement and tension of the cable tendon which is related in turn to the weight of the UAV. The working principle of the landing gear follows the anatomy of birds that grasp and perch as tendons in their legs and feet are tensioned. Results demonstrate how the model can be used to simulate and evaluate grasping in order to determine the size and weight of a UAV for landing and perching upon a range of target structures.
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