Development of an Innovative Air-Ground Carrier Platform for Multi-mode Drones

The air-ground drone, capable of both ground movement and aerial flight, exhibits enhanced flexibility and adaptability to different environments. In comparison to existing technological solutions, this paper proposes an air-ground drone capable of automatic switching between automotive and flying modes. The drone employs a screw-rod linkage mechanism to drive the retractable and extendable motion of four rotor arms. Through meticulous torque and speed calculations, only a small-sized reduction motor is needed to simultaneously drive the automatic retraction and extension of all four arms. This paper outlines the overall structure and operational principles of the air-ground drone, providing a detailed exploration of the design and core component selection for the screw-rod linkage mechanism. The presented solution serves as a design approach for similar amphibious drone configurations.