Invention Description
Collision-resilient quadrotors are designed to leverage impacts and perform agile maneuvers in cluttered environments; however, current models face a trade-off between two limited modes: Rigid protection and flexible adaptation. With rigid protection designs, there are safeguards that prevent damage, but they cannot deform to absorb energy or navigate tight spaces. With flexible adaptation designs, they are deformable to absorb shocks and have better navigation, but lack the structural rigidity needed for stable, efficient flight in open areas. Versatile systems are needed which can switch between high stiffness and flexibility for impact resistance.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed, DART, a Dual stiffness Aerial RoboT, featuring a dual-stiffness design that enables it to switch between a rigid mode for stable flight and a flexible mode to absorb collision impacts. It incorporates a novel collision response prediction model based on linear complementarity system theory, enhancing its ability to plan and execute trajectories that include collisions. The drone’s design includes a unique arm-locking mechanism and a recovery controller that maintains stability during and after impacts. Comprehensive characterization tests highlight the significant difference in post-collision responses between its rigid and flexible modes, with the rigid mode offering seven times higher stiffness compared to the flexible mode.
This technology presents a novel a collision-resilient quadrotor capable of adapting its stiffness to safely navigate cluttered and obstacle-rich environments.
Potential Applications
- Search and rescue operations in confined or cluttered spaces
- Industrial inspection in environments with tight obstacles
- Urban aerial delivery services requiring safe obstacle negotiation
- Autonomous exploration and mapping in challenging terrains
- Research and development in advanced aerial robotics and control systems
Benefits and Advantages
- Adaptable stiffness with a sevenfold difference between rigid and flexible modes
- Accurate collision force prediction enabling safe collision-inclusive trajectory planning
- Robust design with arm-locking mechanism to withstand impacts
- Enhanced stability and recovery control post-collision
- Validated through extensive experimental drop and flight tests
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