System and method for robotic drill rod handling

A method of robotic drill rod handling, the method comprising:

• grasping a second drill rod from a grasping position of a frame of a drill rod handling system with an end effector of a robotic arm, wherein the second drill rod is in a grasping position, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw for grasping a drill rod, and a single thread compensation mechanism positioned between and coupled to the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein the single thread compensation mechanism is configured for translating the grasped drill rod along a first axis by concurrently translating each of the first jaw and the second jaw along a direction parallel to the first axis, wherein the single thread compensation mechanism is configured to apply a preload force between drill rods to thread drill rods together;
• manipulating the second drill rod with the robotic arm such that a threaded first end of the second drill rod is contacting a threaded second end of a first drill rod;
• applying the preload force to the second drill rod;
• rotating the second drill rod in the forward direction of the threads of the first end, coupling the first drill rod and second drill rod;
• and
• decoupling the end effector from the second drill rod.