System and method for mounting objects across a non-uniform outdoor terrain

A method comprising:

• at an autonomous off-road vehicle comprising a robotic arm and a first set of objects, autonomously navigating across a non-uniform outdoor terrain to locate the robotic arm and the first set of objects proximal a first install location on a first structure;
• accessing a first image from a first optical sensor defining a first field of view intersecting the first install location;
• detecting a first set of install features at the first install location based on the first image;
• calculating a first gross install pose of the first object that locates a first object proximal the first install location and offset from the first set of install features;
• and
• defining a first keep-in boundary of the first object maintained by the robotic arm, the first keep-in boundary proximal the first install location and encompassing the first gross install pose;
• and
• at the autonomous off-road vehicle:
• autonomously navigating the robotic arm to retrieve the first object from the first set of objects and to locate the first object in the first gross install pose;
• detecting a first series of forces applied to a distal end of the robotic arm;
• and
• navigating the first object in directions of the first series of forces while supporting a weight of the first object and maintaining the first object fully within the first keep-in boundary.

A system comprising:

• an attachment assembly configured to transiently mount to an off-road vehicle and comprising:
• an attachment housing;
• a set of forks extending from the attachment housing;
• and
• a robotic arm coupled to the attachment housing and configured to retrieve objects from a first set of objects within a first container loaded onto the set of forks;
• a first optical sensor defining a first field of view intersecting a first structure arranged at an outdoor environment;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• autonomously navigate the off-road vehicle across a non-uniform outdoor terrain to locate the robotic arm and the first container proximal a first install location on the first structure;
• prior to retrieving the first object from the first set of objects in the first container via the robotic arm:
• access a first image from the first optical sensor defining the field of view intersecting the first install location;
• detect a first set of install features at the first install location based on the first image;
• calculate a first gross install pose of the first object that locates the first object proximal the first install location and offset from the first set of install features by a first target offset distance;
• and
• calculate a first install path navigable by the robotic arm to retrieve the first object from the first set of objects in the first container and to maneuver the first object to the first gross install pose;
• define a first keep-in boundary of the first object maintained by the robotic arm, the first keep-in boundary proximal the first install location and encompassing the first gross install pose;
• autonomously navigate the robotic arm according to the first install path to retrieve the first object from the first set of objects in the first container and to locate the first object in the first gross install pose;
• detect a first series of forces applied to a distal end of the robotic arm;
• and
• navigate the first object in directions of the first series of forces while supporting a weight of the first object and maintaining the first object fully within the first keep-in boundary.