Generic gripper for an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

Research has been performed on the use of a robotic hand to be used as a UAV gripper and the contributions it would make to implement such a product with a UAV. An overview was performed on UAV grippers available for purchase to determine what contributions would be of greatest need from a newly developed UAV gripper. It was found that there is a lack of grippers capable of gripping objects of a variety of shapes. Design features of the mechanical system and control system of the robotic hand that provides functionality of a UAV gripper which is designed to grip objects of various sizes was then discussed. The robotic hand was tested on performing grips on objects of various shapes and sizes to determine its versatility as a gripper and was shown to be used on all the objects tested. Grip tests performed by the robotic hand to evaluate its functionality showed that the robotic hand was capable of lifting 30.4 N if an object is hooked onto it.