Devices including deployable hitch assemblies and autonomous engagement systems incorporating the same

A robotic apparatus comprising:

• a towable body;
• a sensor array coupled to the body and operable to detect a pose of a towing vehicle hitch receiver relative to the body;
• a mobility component configured to move the body toward the towing vehicle hitch receiver in response to the sensor array detecting the pose of the towing vehicle hitch receiver;
• and
• a hitch assembly configured to move along the body in relative alignment to the towing vehicle hitch receiver in response to the sensor array detecting the pose of the towing vehicle hitch receiver;
• wherein the hitch assembly is configured to translate into and engage the towing vehicle hitch receiver thereby securely coupling the robotic apparatus to the towing vehicle hitch receiver.

A robotic system comprising:

• a towable body;
• a hitch assembly movably coupled to the movable body;
• a sensor array;
• a processor and operating logic containing programming instructions thereon that, when executed, causes the processor to:
• detect a pose of a towing vehicle via the sensor array;
• move the body to the towing vehicle in accordance with a trajectory plan determined based on the pose of the towing vehicle detected by the sensor array;
• detect a pose of a hitch receiver of the towing vehicle via the sensor array;
• move the hitch assembly along the body and in alignment with the hitch receiver based on the pose of the hitch receiver detected by the sensor array;
• and
• couple the hitch assembly to the hitch receiver to secure the body to the towing vehicle.