This Drone Can Fly, Swim, Drive, and Hop Its Way Through a Mission

The future of military drones isn’t surveillance and dropping bombs. It’s transformation: a single unmanned vehicle that can fly, swim, drive, and even hop like a frog across a variety of terrains and obstacles.

Conceived by the Intelligent Systems, Robotics and Cybernetics unit at Sandia National Laboratories, the “Multi-Modal Vehicle Concept” would travel land, sea, and air by transforming itself to accommodate different terrains. Its wings become fins as it dives into water, or underwater paddles that shed casings to reveal wheels as it moves toward land — wheels with the ability to jump 30 feet into the air. An entire campaign could be conducted by a remote operator or, more likely, semi-autonomously.

As it stands now, carrying out a similar mission would require coordinating a team of unmanned aerial, undersea, and ground vehicles made by different manufacturers with different communications systems. It would take careful planning to make sure all vehicles are in place at the right time. But Sandia says that because the Multi-Modal Vehicle is designed modularly and works off one interface, it won’t be subject to those same hang-ups, and that it can adapt mid-mission as conditions change.

Read more at wired

OK you have to admit that is pretty cool. I have to say that is the first drone that may actually make a huge difference. It would be able to take on the role of SF teams that are sent in for recon on targets. There will always be a need for such units but if you can send a small mobile camera in instead then all the better.

Hey now you know where all that funding to NASA wound up. Exploring other planets…haha well sure but it works for this as well.

reply to post by Grimpachi


It ain't no good if it is not invisible!
It needs the metamaterial hoodie wavelength dodger. Nor is it much good if it has to throw bits of itself away at times. Still, the military has all the dosh for this, no wonder Obama has brought out Obamacare.

One problem I can see is the fact that it sheds parts of itself. That means you can not use an advanced technologies in this device or you are basically delivering them to the enemy.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


The only thing that I had seen that would hold secrets would be the main body where the electronics and programing are. Some thermite could easily take care of that.

Grimpachi
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

The only thing that I had seen that would hold secrets would be the main body where the electronics and programing are. Some thermite could easily take care of that.

Well it couldn't have any stealth technologies, either in shaping or materials or coatings. Then as you mentioned the interior with the sensor package. If anything went wrong and the thermite did not work it could be a huge loss.