Inventor Michael Rechtin built a real-life Transformers robot that can not only fly like a drone, but also drive on roads. What made this design possible are the 3D-printed prop guards that double as wheels, and lightweight tracks that enable it to traverse various terrain.
Two low-speed brushless motors, mounted between each wheel pair, drive the system using sprockets that engage directly with the same teeth that drive the tracks. How does it transition from driving to flying? A four-bar linkage mounted in a parallelogram shape, with a linear actuator acting as the bottom bar that retracts, rotating the wheels/prop guards to a vertical position.
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I love this concept, I really wish there were more commercial options like it. Having the ability to land a drone and have it still be able to move would be massive. You could use it like PeterScripol’s RC tank taped to a miniwhoop, which could recover other crashed miniwhoops with a servo arm. You can use it to land and inspect drain pipes or tunnels or other narrow entrances, which would be great during surveys, research, and reconnaissance,” said one commenter.
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