http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0211/c90000-20275221.html
A Chinese-developed land-air dual-mode drone weighing about the same as an apple has shown promising potential in future Mars exploration with its features of being able to take off whenever needed, dodge obstacles and exceptional endurance. Developed by the School of Astronautics at Harbin Institute of Technology, the prototype weighs only 300 grams, roughly the same as an apple. It can easily roll on the ground, take off whenever needed and dodge obstacles. Furthermore, with its ability to transform into multiple forms, such as dual wheels or a spherical shape, it can adapt to different environments and terrains. In addition, it can be equipped with mechanical arms to perform various tasks.
The drone can roll forward on the ground by shifting its center of gravity just as a roly-poly toy does. In the air, it relies primarily on a pair of counter-rotating coaxial rotors to realize direction control and stable flight.
As the atmosphere on Mars is extremely thin, some Mars aerial vehicles have already been tested for application in surface exploration on the planet. At present, the air-ground cross-domain prototype drone has completed its prototype design and is expected to surpass already existing similar Mars aerial vehicles in terms of functionality and endurance.
