Currently conducting independent research on an terrestrial and aerial drone that could potentially have military and medical applications. The design of this drone incorporates two different types of locomotion, which allows it to walk on land and fly where permissible. Many disciplines of engineering are required in order to prototype this drone. Mechanically speaking, CAD models and assemblies are important factors that play a huge role into the movement and look of the UAV. From an electrical standpoint, many different circuits are being used to control the quadruped legs as well as the drone motors. In addition to this, three different systems are being used to control this vehicle remotely. Computer science then comes into play due to the amount of coding required to program the entire drone to function properly.

Research is centered mostly on military and medical applications. Rapid prototyping of this robot consists of ideation, designing, prototyping, and testing. I created my own app, models, PCB’s, circuits, and code to construct this drone. Software used include: Creo, SolidWorks, Cura, MIT App Inventor, JLCPCB, and Arduino IDE.

This independent study has allowed me to realize a project from start to finish while allowing possible expansion/improvement projects in the future. In addition to this, I have applied mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science knowledge to develop this research project. In addition to the prototyping, presentation of my work occurs weekly to staff and students.