Integrated robotic system and method for autonomous vehicle maintenance

A method comprising:

• obtaining image data from one or more optical sensors;
• determining a location and a pose of a vehicle component based on the image data;
• determining a model of an external environment of a robotic system based on the image data;
• determining a mapping of a location of the robotic system in the model of the external environment;
• determining tasks to be performed by components of the robotic system to perform maintenance on the vehicle component;
• assigning the tasks to the components of the robotic system;
• communicating control signals to the components of the robotic system to autonomously control the robotic system to perform the maintenance on the vehicle component;
• utilizing the control signals to move the robotic system;
• and
• actuating the vehicle component based on the control signals.

A robotic system comprising:

• one or more optical sensors configured to generate image data representative of an external environment;
• a controller configured to obtain the image data and to determine one or more of a location and pose of a vehicle component based on the image data, the controller also configured to determine tasks to be performed by components of the robotic system to perform maintenance on the vehicle component and to assign the tasks to the components of the robotic system based on the image data and based on a model of the external environment, the controller configured to determine a location of the robotic system in the model of the external environment, wherein the controller also is configured to communicate control signals to the components of the robotic system to autonomously control the robotic system to perform the maintenance on the vehicle component;
• a propulsion system that moves the robotic system based on the control signals;
• and
• a manipulator arm configured to actuate the vehicle component based on the control signals;
• wherein the controller is configured to determine waypoints for the propulsion system of the robotic system to move the robotic system based on one or more of the tasks assigned to the propulsion system by the controller and on the mapping of the location of the robotic system in the model of the external environment;
• wherein 3D image data is examined using real-time simultaneous localization and mapping to determine the model of the external environment of the robotic system.