The objective of this capstone project is the development and implementation of a versatile vehicle capable of both ground and aerial transportation. There exist many prospective applications in the commercial and scientific domains that are currently occupied by single-mode products, such as aerial drones. This project is primarily focused on the research and exploration of such a robotic structure that is capable of traversing all three dimensions.

One possible application of such a robotic device is the delivery industry. Package delivery is mainly handled by automotive transport or, in niche markets, handled by aerial drones. This begs the question, why haven’t drones been a more dominant force in the delivery industry? The answer lies in the inherent risk of operating aerial vehicles in urban areas, especially in high-traffic areas. In this environment, drones must act carefully in order to avoid potential damages to other equipment as well as damages to people or property. A solution to this problem is to allow the transport vehicle to choose between ground and air mode based on its surroundings. That is exactly what the multi-mode robot capstone team is trying to achieve. With this device in the market, aerial delivery can be made practical by ensuring safety and compliance during its lifetime. This project, and its affiliated findings, will be referred to as Quickdrop.