Caltech's ATMO Robot Transforms Mid-Air from Drone to Rover

A new robot developed by the Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) can seamlessly switch from flying to rolling in mid-air, offering a breakthrough in robotic mobility.

Credit: Ioannis Mandralis/Communications Engineering

Named the Aerially Transforming Morphobot (ATMO), the robot is designed by Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) and led by graduate student Ioannis Mandralis.

ATMO mimics birds that adjust their bodies mid-flight to navigate tight spaces or land. Unlike other hybrid robots that must land before changing modes, ATMO transforms while airborne.

The robot functions as a quadrotor drone with four propellers. Its legs, equipped with wheels, reshape mid-flight to allow it to land and roll over rough terrain.

An onboard computer determines the best mode of movement in real time. If the terrain becomes too difficult, ATMO can lift off and resume flight instantly.

This dual-mode capability could prove valuable in disaster zones, where ATMO could fly over debris and then roll through rubble to deliver supplies or search for survivors.

In planetary exploration, ATMO could fly over Martian craters and then roll across rocky surfaces, collecting data in areas inaccessible to traditional drones or rovers.

Mandralis said the ability to transform mid-air enhances autonomy and robustness, expanding the robot’s potential applications.

The development of ATMO required lightweight yet durable materials and advanced software capable of rapid decision-making.

The team, including design engineer Reza Nemovi and Professor Richard M. Murray, detailed the robot’s mechanics in a Communications Engineering paper.

ATMO builds on previous Caltech projects such as the Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobot (M4), which could fly, walk, and roll but lacked mid-air transformation, and LEONARDO, a bipedal robot with propeller arms.

ATMO advances these concepts by enabling practical, real-world transitions between air and ground mobility.

---

• Caltech’s ATMO robot transforms mid-air from drone to rover

• Inspired by birds, it switches modes without landing

• Designed for disaster response and planetary exploration

Source: TECHEBLOG