I-Corps: A Robot for Joint Ground and Airborne Operations - Hybrid Robot

创新队的这个项目旨在测试一种可以在地面上移动、飞行和悬停的机器人的商业可行性。在地面模式下，转子和稳定杆沿着机器人身体的长度向下折叠。它通过将自己的长轴垂直而不是水平定位，并展开其飞行机构来转换其飞行模式。这种类型的机器人提供了几个关键的好处：1)能够执行复杂的任务，并返回基地，2)无辅助起飞（能够随意切换运动模式），3)悬停（保持在空中的位置），4)能够跨越大型障碍和飞越崎岖的地形，5)高效的地面模式旅行。虽然其中一些好处可以用小型直升机实现，但第四个项目，“有效的地面模式旅行”，使这种设计脱颖而出，使其能够在实现目标的同时节省能源。为了完成任务，机器人可以根据需要多次随意切换空中和地面模式，在地面和空中都具有“走走停停”的能力，能够适应各种任务、不可控环境和不可预测的威胁。许多任务需要在不容易穿越的地形中移动，例如在地震搜救场景中。除了搜索和救援应用之外，这种类型的机器人将是许多其他应用的理想选择，例如：秘密监视，周边监视，侦察，执法，人质场景，特种部队行动，危险和/或污染（核，生物，化学或辐射）区域检查，以及任何需要在视线或距离范围内进行态势感知的任务。

This Innovation Corps project proposes to test the commercial feasibility of a robot that can move on the ground, fly, and hover. In the ground mode, the rotors and stabilizer bar are folded down along the length of the robot's body. It transforms into its flight mode by positioning itself on-end, with its long axis oriented vertically rather than horizontally, and unfolding its flight mechanisms. This type of robot offers several key benefits: 1) Capability to carry out complex missions, and return to home base, 2) Un-assisted take off (ability to switch locomotion modes at will), 3) Hovering (maintaining position in the air), 4) Ability to scale large obstacles and fly over rough terrain, and 5) Efficient ground-mode travel. While some of these benefits could be realized with a small helicopter, the fourth item, "efficient ground-mode travel", sets this design apart by giving it the ability to conserve energy while still making progress toward its objective.A robot that has the capability to switch air and ground modes at will as many times as necessary to complete a mission, with "stop-and-go" capabilities both on the ground in the air, enables adaption to diverse missions, uncontrollable environments, and unpredictable threats. Many missions require movement through terrain which is not easily traversable, such as in an earthquake search-and-rescue scenario. In addition to search-and-rescue applications, this type of robot would be ideal for many other applications such as: covert surveillance, perimeter surveillance, reconnaissance, law enforcement, hostage scenarios, special force operations, hazardous and/or contaminated (nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological) area inspection, and any mission which requires situational awareness over the line-of-sight or over the line-of-reach.