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MorphoGear: An UAV with Multi-Limb Morphogenetic Gear for Rough-Terrain Locomotion

Mikhail Martynov, Zhanibek Darush, Aleksey Fedoseev, Dzmitry Tsetserukou

TL;DR

The design of a novel rotor UAV MorphoGear with morphogenetic gear is introduced and includes a description of the robot’s mechanics, electronics, and control architecture, as well as walking behavior and an analysis of experimental results.

Abstract

Robots able to run, fly, and grasp have a high potential to solve a wide scope of tasks and navigate in complex environments. Several mechatronic designs of such robots with adaptive morphologies are emerging. However, the task of landing on an uneven surface, traversing rough terrain, and manipulating objects still presents high challenges. This paper introduces the design of a novel rotor UAV MorphoGear with morphogenetic gear and includes a description of the robot's mechanics, electronics, and control architecture, as well as walking behavior and an analysis of experimental results. MorphoGear is able to fly, walk on surfaces with several gaits, and grasp objects with four compatible robotic limbs. Robotic limbs with three degrees of freedom (DoFs) are used by this UAV as pedipulators when walking or flying and as manipulators when performing actions in the environment. We performed a locomotion analysis of the landing gear of the robot. Three types of robot gaits have been developed. The experimental results revealed low crosstrack error of the most accurate gait (mean of 1.9 cm and max of 5.5 cm) and the ability of the drone to move with a 210 mm step length. Another type of robot gait also showed low crosstrack error (mean of 2.3 cm and max of 6.9 cm). The proposed MorphoGear system can potentially achieve a high scope of tasks in environmental surveying, delivery, and high-altitude operations.

MorphoGear: An UAV with Multi-Limb Morphogenetic Gear for Rough-Terrain Locomotion

TL;DR

The design of a novel rotor UAV MorphoGear with morphogenetic gear is introduced and includes a description of the robot’s mechanics, electronics, and control architecture, as well as walking behavior and an analysis of experimental results.

Abstract

Robots able to run, fly, and grasp have a high potential to solve a wide scope of tasks and navigate in complex environments. Several mechatronic designs of such robots with adaptive morphologies are emerging. However, the task of landing on an uneven surface, traversing rough terrain, and manipulating objects still presents high challenges. This paper introduces the design of a novel rotor UAV MorphoGear with morphogenetic gear and includes a description of the robot's mechanics, electronics, and control architecture, as well as walking behavior and an analysis of experimental results. MorphoGear is able to fly, walk on surfaces with several gaits, and grasp objects with four compatible robotic limbs. Robotic limbs with three degrees of freedom (DoFs) are used by this UAV as pedipulators when walking or flying and as manipulators when performing actions in the environment. We performed a locomotion analysis of the landing gear of the robot. Three types of robot gaits have been developed. The experimental results revealed low crosstrack error of the most accurate gait (mean of 1.9 cm and max of 5.5 cm) and the ability of the drone to move with a 210 mm step length. Another type of robot gait also showed low crosstrack error (mean of 2.3 cm and max of 6.9 cm). The proposed MorphoGear system can potentially achieve a high scope of tasks in environmental surveying, delivery, and high-altitude operations.
Paper Structure (19 sections, 10 equations, 9 figures, 4 tables)

This paper contains 19 sections, 10 equations, 9 figures, 4 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Works
  3. System Overview
  4. Mechanics
  5. UAV design concept
  6. Drone chassis design
  7. Electronics and Software
  8. General architecture
  9. Power supply
  10. MorphoGear Locomotion
  11. Trot Gait
  12. Canter Gait
  13. Gallop Gait
  14. Experimental Evaluation
  15. Trot Gait Evaluation
  16. ...and 4 more sections

Figures (9)

  • Figure 1: Multi-limb morphogenetic UAV for aerial manipulation and terrestrial locomotion
  • Figure 2: CAD design of the 3-DoF drone’s pedipulator with robotic gripper actuated by four Dynamixel servomotors.
  • Figure 3: System software architecture. The pipeline consists of Unity Engine environment on the control PC for the calculation of the robot kinematics and ROS 2 framework providing remote connection to the robot and motor control.
  • Figure 4: MorphoGear CAD Rendered Model illustrating its workspace during manipulation.
  • Figure 5: Limb trajectories during a single step in the platform coordinate system.
  • ...and 4 more figures