Small land drones #1. Cubedron.

grabcad

A new series of works will focus on 'Small Land Drones,' as limited resources make the task more challenging and interesting. The objective is to create a simple, affordable, and functional mechanism. Air and water environments are uniform, but ground movement is difficult, like navigating a forest. Mice manage it easily, though! I'm currently considering the drone's motion system without worrying about control, payload, or energy source. The first drone, 'Cubedron,' takes inspiration from Cubli and MIT self-assembling small cubes. However, Cubedron is much simpler; its motion base relies on reactive torque generated by a flywheel driven by a DC motor. There are two types of movement: slow balanced motion like Cubli, achieved by accelerating the wheel then engaging the clutch, or a quick long jump. The drone's shape can be varied – cube, ball, tetrahedron, icosahedron, dodecahedron. The clutch doesn't always need to be tightly connected; adjustable slip is possible. This series will continue exploring small land drones and their capabilities.