Multi-modal mobility unmanned vehicle

A multi-modal robot capable of transitioning from a prone position to a vertical inverted pendulum configuration, the multi-modal robot comprising:

• a chassis with a longitudinal axis;
• one or more propellers mounted to the chassis, wherein the one or more propellers are capable of being driven by one or more propeller actuators and the one or more propeller actuators are capable of being controlled by one or more propeller actuator controllers;
• a set of wheels mounted to a first end of the chassis, wherein the set of wheels is capable of being driven by one or more wheel actuators and the one or more wheel actuators are capable of being controlled by one or more wheel actuator controllers;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to command the multi-modal robot to transition from a first position in which the chassis longitudinal axis is generally parallel to ground to a second position in which the chassis longitudinal axis is generally perpendicular to ground by:
• generating first propeller actuator controller instructions capable of causing the one or more propellers to generate thrust such that the chassis tracks a first pitch rate until a first cutoff pitch, and causing the chassis to rotate from the first position to the second position;
• generating first wheel actuator controller instructions capable of causing the set of wheels to provide torque, and causing the chassis to rotate from the first position to the second position;
• generating second propeller actuator controller instructions capable of causing the one or more propellers to generate thrust such that the chassis tracks a second pitch rate until a second cutoff pitch, and causing the chassis to rotate from the first position to the second position;
• and
• generating second wheel actuator controller instructions capable of causing the set of wheels to rotate, and maintaining the second position of the chassis;
• and
• the multi-modal robot is configured so that when in the vertical inverted pendulum configuration the multi-modal robot can perform ground movements with two contact points.