MMALV - The Morphing Micro Air-Land Vehicle

– A sensor platform has been developed that is capable of both aerial and terrestrial locomotion, as well as transitioning between the two. The Morphing Micro Air-Land Vehicle (MMALV) implements biological inspiration in both flying and walking. MMALV integrates the University of Florida’s Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) technology with the terrain mobility of MiniWhegs™. Fabricated of lightweight carbon fiber, the UFMAV employs a flexible wing design to achieve improved stability over other MAVs of similar size. Mini-Whegs™ employs the patented (pending) wheel-leg running gear that makes the Whegs™ and Mini-Whegs™ line of robots fast, agile, and efficient. MMALV has a 30.5cm wingspan, and is 25.4cm long. Terrestrial locomotion is achieved using two independently controlled wheel-legs, which are differentially actuated to perform turning. The vehicle successfully performs the transition from flight to walking. Furthermore, MMALV is capable of transitioning from terrestrial to aeria...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: IROS
• Authors: Kevin Jones, Frank Boria, Richard J. Bachmann, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Peter G. Ifju, Roger D. Quinn
• Keywords: IROS 2006, Micro Air Vehicle, Micro Air-Land Vehicle, Robotics, Terrestrial Locomotion