A Novel Dual-Function Drone Landing Gear with Ultra-Fast Grasping Capability Enabled by a Quick-Release Mechanism

To simplify the grasping mechanism of drones, this paper presents a dual-function landing gear with an actively closing mechanism, designed for coaxial drones. The proposed design integrates self-locking and clutch mechanisms, enabling the landing gear to be actuated by a single motor. This novel approach eliminates the need for additional actuators, optimizing the drone’s takeoff, landing, and grasping capabilities while reducing energy consumption compared to traditional designs. Kinematic and static analyses, along with experimental evaluations, were conducted to assess the grasping performance of the mechanism. Experimental results demonstrate that the landing gear can close within 0.2 s and provide a grasping force exceeding 10 N. Compared to conventional designs, this solution offers a reliable and energy-efficient approach for dual-function drone operations.