Chinese scientists develop unmanned, air-ground vehicle for deliveries, rescue missions

Chinese scientists have developed an intelligent, autonomous air-ground vehicle that can be used for deliveries and rescue missions.

Developed by a team from Tsinghua University, the unmanned electric vehicle can switch between ground-working mode and flying mode.

It has a four-wheel drive system and is equipped with a rotor that enables flight. The vehicle is 1 meter long, 0.6m wide, 0.6m high and can conduct 3D path planning.

Other functions include vertical takeoff and landing, spatial planning, hovering in the air and flight-obstacle avoidance.

With a real-time perception module, it can recognize different types of obstacles and terrain.

When it encounters obstacles or terrain but cannot bypass on the ground, the vehicle can switch to flying mode and seek a more suitable area for driving on the ground. The efficient and smooth switch between working modes will help improve transportation efficiency.

It has been tested in both urban environments and mountainous areas with challenging terrain.

The vehicle can be used to deliver goods and for rescue missions. It can also be integrated into intelligent transportation systems in smart cities.