Hybrid Locomotive Behaviors for an Amphibious Fixed-Wing / VTOL Tiltrotor UAV

The theory and implementation of a set of alternate auxiliary locomotion modes are presented for an amphibious fixed-wing VTOL UAV. In real-world conditions and unstructured environments, the ability for the vehicle to employ alternative modes of locomotion is essential. By using tilting propulsor nacelles for thrust vectoring, the aircraft is able to taxi, or ferry, on the water surface. The VTOL tail motor is used for self-righting when the vehicle is unintentionally overturned. Equivalent comparisons to wheeled-robot maneuverability and controllability are provided. A set of experimental demonstrations are conducted, including an alternative to normal flight by using ground-effect for improved power efficiency.