DRAGON (transformer robot with multi-stage air transformation)

2022: Announcement of a transformer drone that can drag boxes and turn valves

On September 1, 2022, an unmanned robot with a changing shape, created on the basis of the original DRAGON platform, was presented, capable of lifting and moving objects - and even twisting valves on pipes using rotor traction.

The JSK Lab team introduced the DRAGON project (short for "dual-rotor embedded multilink robot with the ability of multi-degree aerial transformation") in 2018, demonstrating a modular design capable of changing its configuration during operation to squeeze into places inaccessible to drones with an invariable shape.

A transformer drone is presented that can drag boxes and turn valves

Now the drone can not only change its shape, but also interact with the environment. In the latest video shown by the team, the upgraded DRAGON grabs the pipe valve handle and turns it to open or close the valve and adjust the steam exiting the vent at the end of the pipe; in addition, it was demonstrated how the robot selects objects for transportation.

{{quote "The key to performing stabilized manipulations and captures in the air is the use of rotary vector vehicles with two degrees of mobility," the team explains in one of two documents detailing the improvements. The developed complex control technique for transformation in air using the vector traction force taking into account the dynamics of vector drives. The proposed control method can suppress vibrations caused by the dynamics of vector drives, and also allows combining external and internal mechanisms for manipulating and capturing objects. }}

{{quote 'In addition, an online gain planning method is presented for bimanual object capture using the two ends of this articulated model. The proposed grip style is unique in that the thrust vector force is used as an internal lever instead of joint torque^[1][2] }}

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