Modular, Tethered, Reconfigurable Hybrid Robotic Vehicles for Aerial Grasping and Package Delivery

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are rapidly emerging as the next-generation solution for delivering pay-loads. In recent years, numerous designs have been proposed, each offering distinct approaches to this challenge. Presently, existing systems tend to be cumbersome and tailored for specific applications, which hinders their flexibility for accommodating different environments or payloads. This work focuses on the development of a versatile, scalable, and modular drone delivery system. The system comprises modular mobile robots equipped with a propulsion unit, omnidirectional wheels, and a coupler mechanism, enabling assembly so as to form rigid inter-module connections. These drones possess the ability to accommodate various payloads by utilising tethers and contact pads, allowing them to conform to the shape of the packages. The implemented system architecture is composed of four distinct modules, consisting of one parent module and three child modules, all interconnected through a tethering system. This paper aims to demonstrate the capabilities of the tethered multi-drone system by performing coordinated motions of the modules for payload grasping and flights with and without payload.