Flying Robot Transforms Mid-Air to Land and Travel on Wheels

Picture a robot that can seamlessly switch between flying like a drone and driving like a wheeled rover. Such a device could have significant practical applications—assuming it functions reliably in real-world settings. That’s exactly what the ATMO robot was built to achieve, by transforming in mid-air before it lands.

Origins and Development at Caltech

ATMO, short for Aerially Transforming Morphobot, was developed by engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This innovative robot builds on the foundations of an earlier Caltech creation known as the M4 (Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobot).

In its airborne mode, the M4 operates like a traditional quadcopter, using four horizontally positioned shrouded propellers. Upon landing, those propellers fold downward to become motorized wheels, with the shrouds functioning as treaded rims for traction on the ground.

Despite its ingenuity, that design had a critical weakness: obstacles such as rocks or uneven vegetation could block the propellers from folding into place after landing. The ATMO addresses this challenge by beginning its transformation while still in the air—bringing its wheels/props into a nearly final position before touching down.

A Sophisticated Folding Mechanism

In ATMO’s design, each propeller remains powered by its own motor for flight, but a single central motor manages a joint mechanism that folds the propellers in or out. While this sounds straightforward, the process is dynamically complex.

As the propellers change position and the downward airflow begins interacting with the approaching ground, ATMO’s flight behavior shifts significantly. To maintain control during this transition, the researchers developed an adaptive algorithm that constantly recalibrates each propeller’s thrust in real time.

Seamless Transition to Ground Travel

Thanks to this system, ATMO can execute stable “dynamic wheel landings” with its wheels already deployed. Once on the ground, it transitions smoothly into rover mode, with belt drives on either side powering the wheels. It steers through a differential system that adjusts the speed of each drive independently.

“We’re introducing a new type of dynamic system that hasn’t been explored before,” explained Ioannis Mandralis, the study’s lead author. “The moment the robot starts transforming, various dynamic forces begin interacting. The control system must respond rapidly to these changes.”

The research was recently featured in Communications Engineering, and a video demonstration shows ATMO in action as it morphs and maneuvers across different terrains.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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