Hybrid locomotion

Most robots do one thing. A drone flies. A wheeled robot rolls. A hybrid machine carries the hardware for two ways of moving and picks whichever suits the moment.

The hopping drone in this story is a clear example. It flies when it has to clear something, and bounces along the ground the rest of the time because bouncing uses far less battery.

The catch is always weight. Every extra part for the second way of moving has to be carried around during the first one.