SytaB: A Class of Smooth-Transition Hybrid Terrestrial/Aerial Bicopters

Abstract

This work details the design, modeling and control of SytaB, a vehicle capable of hybrid terrestrial/aerial mobility with smooth transition, where the structure embedding a bicopter is adopted for the first time. In contrast to previous hybrid terrestrial/aerial vehicles with a quadrotor embedded, SytaB not only requires less energy for the same takeoff weight, but also regulates its attitude less frequently to restrain the vibration of sensors. Three modes, the terrestrial/aerial/transitional modes, are considered <styled-content style="color:black" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">for the vehicle</styled-content> , and the dynamics modeling and controller design of each mode are <styled-content style="color:black" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">carried out</styled-content> . The transition between terrestrial and aerial locomotions is smooth compared with the case of non-inclusion <styled-content style="color:black" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">of</styled-content> transitional mode such that the bounce and shake of the vehicle are alleviated. The energy efficiency is compared between the terrestrial and aerial modes, and between the energy-saving and high-maneuverability paradigms (a choice enabled in the terrestrial mode of SytaB). Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the potential of SytaB, the effectiveness of the designed controllers, and the necessity of considering the transition process.