Understanding the Physical Design of Multi-Domain UAV Systems

Unmanned multi-domain robotic systems are rapidly advancing, with many innovative platforms designed to operate across multiple environmental domains, typically involving the combination of air and either land, watersurface, or underwater capabilities. These systems are designed to seamlessly transition between and operate effectively in these diverse environments, opening up new possibilities for numerous fields - including military, research, search and rescue, and commercial applications. Categorization of the various forms of technology utilized in each innovative design is challenging due to the varying descriptions and definitions within each source publication. This paper is written to describe the current state of physical design for unmanned multidomain robotic platforms, as well as standardize the definitions and comparatively categorize the design features, propulsion methods, and domain-transition capabilities of many hybrid systems. Descriptions of the terminology used are provided throughout this article as each bi-domain system category is introduced. A complete comparative table of all findings is provided near the end of this manuscript, complete with respective categories, design features, and domain-transition details.