A micro spherical rolling and flying robot

This paper presents the design, fabrication, modeling, and demonstration of a micro spherical rolling and flying robot, with a total mass and payload of 35 g and 10 g, respectively. The micro aerial terrestrial robot (ATR) has the ability to fly through the air or roll on the ground, for applications that include search and rescue, mapping, and surveillance. Its unique size makes is easily portable and enables the robot to enter and maneuver around in tight spaces such as air ducts. The design centers around a micro-quadcopter encased in a lightweight spherical exoskeleton that can rotate about the quadcopter. The spherical exoskeleton offers agile ground locomotion while maintaining characteristics of a basic aerial robot in flying mode. Details of the system modeling, design and fabrication are discussed, including the robot's turning capabilities over ground and the lightweight spring-steel exoskeleton. The prototype ATR is experimentally validated in aerial and terrestrial mode, and results show that the ATR traveling over the same distance in rolling mode is 260 percent more efficient than a traditional flying-only robot and in flying mode the system is only 39 percent less efficient. Experimental results also demonstrate transition between modes of locomotion and curved, rolling trajectories.