The revolutionary Hopcopter, with its unique hops and flight capabilities, is changing the robotics landscape. The image captured using rear-curtain sync displays the aerial trajectory of the robot, courtesy of Songnan Bai, Runze Ding, Song Li, and Bingxuan Pu.
There are various examples of both land and air mobility found in nature. Taking inspiration from these forms of movement, a group of engineers has created a highly effective hybrid robot with the ability to both hop and fly.
Introducing “Hopcopter,” a 35-gram combination of a robot and helicopter that has the ability to both jump and fly, as well as rotate with impressive speed and accuracy.
The Hopcopter is composed of a regular mini-quadcopter and a retractable leg that remains inactive. Unlike other hopping robot models that rely on leg movement during the stance phase, the Hopcopter utilizes its rotors during its flight phase for propulsion.
Hopcopter enables continuous hopping
The design of the Hopcopter combines a mini quadcopter with a telescopic leg system. The leg is made up of a solid upper segment, a movable rod for the lower section, and elastic bands as the flexible component.
The top section of the leg, constructed with carbon fiber rods, is securely connected below the quadcopter. The bottom part of the leg has a sharp foot and hooks that are 3D-printed, allowing for hopping movements. To maintain stability, the leg has bearings that limit its movement to only vertical translation.
Elastic recoil is facilitated by pre-stretched rubber bands that are securely attached between the upper and lower legs. Additionally, reflective markers are used for measuring posture. During aerial phases, continuous hopping is made possible through actuation, which is different from the use of latched elastic actuation.
Hybrid mobility with multiple uses
The Hopcopter has successfully passed thorough validation through controlled hopping experiments, showcasing its ability to accurately follow a designated path and accurately anticipate takeoff conditions.
The use of a cutting-edge aerodynamic stabilizer has made it possible to achieve self-stabilizing hopping without relying on external velocity feedback. This technology guarantees reliable performance in a variety of terrains, as demonstrated in successful field tests.
The endurance trials revealed significant increases in operational time when utilizing intermittent thrust, resulting in notable improvements in power efficiency as compared to continuous flight.
According to the scientists, the Hopcopter is able to achieve agility without the need for complicated triggering mechanisms by utilizing a telescopic leg. It can reach speeds of up to 2.38 m/s and jump heights ranging from 0.6 to 1.6 m, surpassing previous agility standards for jumping robots.
By utilizing its abilities to fly and hop, the Hopcopter can quickly adapt its speed and trajectory, reducing the risk of collisions through agile jumping maneuvers.
The combination of attitude control and the stabilizer enables stable dynamics without the need for position feedback, resulting in over 56 consecutive jumps with successful upright landings. This is made possible by autonomous hopping control.
According to the team, the Hopcopter’s hop-based movement provides a more energy-efficient way of locomotion, resulting in longer mission times and increased range in comparison to both rotorcraft and legged robots.
The passive leg design of the rotorcraft can be smoothly incorporated into traditional designs, allowing for synergistic hybrid movement for tasks such as carrying heavy loads through a series of hops.
The Hopcopter is a prime example of a revolutionary change in the field of robotics. It demonstrates how integrating both flying and hopping abilities can greatly enhance mobility in a wide range of situations, resulting in increased versatility and efficiency.