Mechatronic Design of an Amphibious Drone

This paper is concerned with the mechatronic design of a tricopter drone which can move as a ground vehicle and/or as a vessel. The tricopter has three pairs of coaxial rotors and is capable of providing 100N of thrust with a 15 minute flight time using an 8S LiPo 12.5Ah battery. Three waterproof motors are attached to an isosceles triangular omniwheel configuration for operating as a ground vehicle after landing. The customized wheels allow the vehicle to move with a linear velocity up to 2 m/sec at a tilt slope up to 20°. Two submersible parallel water thrusters provide 24N collective force leading to a maximum vessel velocity of 1 m/s and a turn radius of 1.5 m. The design alternatives are highlighted and prioritized according to their weight while the overall amphibious drone is shown in several flight/omniwheel vehicle/vessel modes.