Mid-Air Transformation Is Here, and It’s Making Robots More Robust

ATMO, a new aerially transforming “morphabot,” seamlessly switches from quadrotor to ground vehicle mid-air using a single motor. Backed by aerodynamic studies and MPC control, it enables emergency slope landings, high-speed air–ground transitions, and greater fall tolerance—pushing the limits of robotic agility in the field.

"We designed and built a new robotic system that is inspired by nature—by the way that animals can use their bodies in different ways to achieve different types of locomotion," says Ioannis Mandralis  (MS '22), a graduate student in aerospace at Caltech and lead author of the new paper.

Transcript

00:00:04 Meet Atmo, the aerially transforming morphabot that can smoothly transition between ground and air through midair transformation. Atmo is capable of driving, engaging its thrusters to fly and land seamlessly on its wheels. This is achieved using a unified structural and actuation system that transforms the robot from quadrotor to ground mode using only one motor. We also study the

00:00:28 aerodynamics of midair transformation using smoke visualization and load cell testing. Obtaining new insights in the aerodynamics of aerial transformation. This enables us to push the limits of the maneuvers that can be achieved. We exploited the studied aerodynamics using a model predictive controller with an adaptive objective function. Our method is applicable for

00:00:50 emergency slope landings as well as quick transitions from air to ground by landing or taking off with forward velocity. Our method may also increase the fall tolerance of robots deployed on the field. When transforming on the ground, rough terrain may trap the robot. Instead, landing in ground configuration can avoid these situations, increasing robustness.

00:01:13 This work is one example of how mid-air transformation can increase the agility and robustness of robotic explorers.