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

在这个项目中，PI只提出了一项针对“混合动力飞行器”的研究计划的第一年研究，该计划定期执行动态动作，在墙壁、屋顶、树木和电线等地点着陆、移动和起飞。这些平台结合了无人驾驶飞机和爬升机器人的最佳属性。它们可以快速到达偏远地点，直接飞向他们。着陆后，它们可以沿着表面移动到战略位置，并提供稳定的检查平台，而几小时或几天的电力消耗很少。如果它们顽强地坚持下去，它们也可以安然度过难于飞行的恶劣天气。更广泛的影响：虽然这只是一项初步调查，但PIs建议，除了通常的出版和基于网络的传播之外，更大项目的长期影响将通过组织研讨会来加强，让学术界和行业专家共同探讨栖息飞机这一新兴话题。该提案还包括在麻省理工学院S独立活动期间开设一门新课程，向本科生介绍在气动、机器人和生物启发机制的交叉点上出现的有趣问题。该课程利用小型RC飞机的低成本优势，提供动手测试和原型制作。根据开办这门课程的经验，与斯坦福大学教育学院合作，将把同样的材料改编成一门针对高中生的短期课程。这两个实验室在让本科生和代表性不足的少数族裔参与研究和接触当地高中方面有着良好的记录。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.