Flying Robots Can Perform Complex Tasks Where Humans Don't Dare to Tread

There are situations and areas where humans simply can't go due to it being too dangerous or too time-consuming. That's where flying robots come in. Now, researchers have unveiled a range of different flying robots that could be used to go into areas where it's unsafe for people to venture.

"The idea is that the robots should be able to fly in anywhere where it is impossible or impractical for piloted aircraft or ground robots to operate," said Anibal Ollero, one of the project managers, in a news release. "We have helicopters and multi-rotor systems with eight rotors to give more hovering control, increase the payload and carry arms with greater degrees of freedom."

The new project is called Aerial Robotics Cooperative Assembly System (ARCAS). So far, t's designed a range or robots with multi-joint manipulator arms to work together on grasping, transporting and depositing parts safely and efficiently. The robots are currently being developed to be able to build or dissemble structures and could be used from rescue missions to inspection and maintenance.

So far, up to 10 mini-prototypes have worked together in an indoor test bed. In addition, larger outdoor demonstrations have been performed using adapted helicopters and bigger multi-rotors.

"The robots work very well," said Ollero. "We still need to improve accuracy and repetitiveness in different conditions, but the results are very promising. We have demonstrated aerial manipulation with six- and seven-joint arms and perception and planning functionalities, and this is a first worldwide."

Currently, the researchers hope to improve the robots' robustness and reactivity. This should allow the robots to work together in bigger numbers and increase the complexity of the tasks that they can perform. This should be extremely useful when it comes to sending robots into disaster areas, such as places where a nuclear accident has taken place. In addition, the researchers hope to use these robots possibly even in space, where they could help dismantle satellites or even remove space junk.