New AT Panther flying driving delivery drone video.

TORRANCE, California, 03 April 2017 – Don Shaw, CEO of Advanced Tactics Inc. (AT), that has been a research and rapid development company in Southern California for the last 10 years, announces today that the first aerial package delivery test with a safe drive-up-to-your-doorstep capability video of the AT Panther Air/Ground Robot is now released to the public.

This video shows that AT has successfully completed their first aerial package delivery test with a flying drone that can land with up to a 5-pound in weight package and safely drive up to the door with no propellers turning to deliver a package to the doorstep of a customer. It is believed this is the first successful test of its kind. This vehicle is called the AT Panther Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) VTOL Air/Ground Robot.

The Panther package delivery and pickup robot can uniquely drive like a 1/5 scale RC off-road car on rough terrain as well as on sidewalks and fly like a helicopter while carrying commercially available package delivery boxes of varying sizes and weights. It can carry over 15 pounds of payload. However, FAA regulations keep it under 5 pounds in cargo in order stay within the (sUAS) category that requires the vehicle to be under 55 pounds in weight.

World’s Most Mobile Package Delivery Robot

Ten years ago in 2007, Advanced Tactics Inc. (AT) began developing air/ground robot technology intended to aid U.S. military forces in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Today, building on a family of patented core technologies, AT has created a revolutionary, commercially available Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that is both ground-and air-mobile that are suitable for extended surveillance and package delivery purposes for the commercial market. The combination of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) flight with off-road driving capabilities in a package delivery drone make the Autonomous AT Panther VTOL Air/Ground Robot unlike anything else previously seen.

Featuring off-road car suspension, lifting capability over 15 pounds of package payload over the empty weight, and autonomous waypoint navigation, the AT Panther Robot is expected to dramatically expand the operational scope of current commercially available drones. Modern cameras can be utilised with this robot for unique views from the air and ground. Robotic arms (shown at end of press release) for package delivery have been tested on the AT Panther and other AT air/ground mobile robots. Advanced Tactics specialised kits are currently being developed for first-person video (FPV), audio surveillance, ground and air obstacle avoidance, microphone, loudspeaker accessories and customer service. Accessories are being designed to easily attached to the vehicle (i.e. video screens and signature pads). For package delivery, the eventual system will have both air and ground obstacle avoidance and do all operations autonomously with an operator only acting as a safety pilot/driver. Upon landing the vehicle will proceed autonomously to the destination. The system then deploys the package autonomously or an operator can talk to the customer through voice and video communication and hand or drop off their package by remote control. Panther then returns to the safe takeoff and landing area and heads back to base to receive the next package at up to 70 mph.

The AT Panther lands safely away from obstacles before approaching customers as a ground mobile vehicle for delivery. Propeller guards will be attached to prevent injury during customer interaction. The vehicle can also be operated directly by a customer service delivery team or courier for quick turnaround of the delivery vehicle with possible video interaction with a live representative. In urban areas, where traffic could slow traditional couriers, the AT Panther offers a safe delivery system that can safely bypass delays associated with congested road conditions.

The AT Panther’s driving capability also offers the flexibility for the vehicle to easily access doorways, delivery ports, and loading bays (i.e. shipping and receiving centres).