RI: Medium: Collaborative Research: Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that Interact with Surfaces

在这个项目中，PI提出了一个"混合飞行器"研究计划的第一年研究，这种飞行器定期执行动态机动，从墙壁、屋顶、树木和电线等地点降落、沿着移动和起飞。这些平台联合收割机结合了无人驾驶飞机和攀爬机器人的最佳属性。它们可以直接飞到遥远的地方，迅速到达。着陆后，它们可以沿着表面沿着移动到战略位置，并提供稳定的检查平台，同时在几小时或几天内消耗很少的电力。如果它们顽强地依附在一起，它们也可以安然度过飞行所需的恶劣天气。当条件改善或使命改变时，它们可以跳下飞机，飞向新的地点。更广泛的影响：虽然这只是一个初步的调查，但PI建议，除了通常的出版和基于网络的传播，更大的项目的长期影响将通过组织研讨会来加强，使学术界和行业专家聚集在新兴的栖息飞机主题。该提案还包括一个新的课程将在麻省理工学院？的独立活动期间，将介绍大学生在空气动力学，机器人和生物启发机制的交叉点出现有趣的问题。该课程利用小型RC飞机的低成本来提供动手测试和原型设计。根据开办这一课程所取得的经验，将把同样的材料改编成与斯坦福大学教育学院合作为高中学生举办的短期课程。这两个实验室在让本科生和代表性不足的少数民族参与研究和与当地高中的联系方面都有着良好的记录。为了帮助传播教育材料，所有软件和硬件都将是开源的。

In this project, the PIs propose just the first-year study of a program of research for "Hybrid Aerial Vehicles" that routinely execute dynamic maneuvers to land on, move along, and take off from sites such as walls, roofs, trees and power lines. These platforms combine the best attributes of unmanned aircraft and climbing robots. They can reach remote sites rapidly, flying directly to them. After landing, they can move along surfaces to strategic locations and provide stable inspection platforms while consuming little power for hours or days. If they cling tenaciously, they can also ride out weather that is too rough for flight. When conditions improve, or the mission changes, they can jump off and become airborne, flying to a new site.Broader Impacts: Although this is only an initial investigation, the PIs suggest, in addition to the usual publication and web-based dissemination, the long-term impact of the larger project will be enhanced with workshops organized to bring together academic and industry experts in the emerging topic of perching aircraft. The proposal also includes a new course to be offered during MIT?s Independent Activities Period that will introduce undergraduates to interesting problems that arise at the intersection of aerodyamics, robotics and bio-inspired mechanisms. The course takes advantage of the low cost of small RC planes to provide hands-on testing and prototyping. Based on the experience gained in running the course, the same material will be adapted to a short course for high school students, organized in collaboration with the Stanford School of Education. Both laboratories have a strong track record of involving undergraduates and under-represented minorities in research and in outreach to local high schools. To help disseminate the educational material, all software and hardware will be open source.