Design and Development of an Arm-Leg Hybrid Drone for Enhanced Aerial Manipulation and Mobility

This paper presents the design and development of an aerial manipulator utilizing a hybrid arm-leg system for enhanced aerial manipulation and mobility. The objective is to investigate the feasibility of utilizing a 4-degree-of-freedom (4DOF) hybrid manipulator consisting of two 2-DOF arms to maintain stable drone hovering while performing grasping tasks. The experiments were conducted for the effectiveness of the proposed method in achieving stable flight with objects, ensuring the avoidance of object loss or dropping. The integration of arms and legs in the hybrid manipulator provides increased versatility and adaptability, enabling agile and precise grasping tasks in challenging environments. Prospective developments could involve refining control algorithms and investigating novel materials and designs to enhance the manipulator's precision, efficacy, and overall functionality.