18
ATTACHING THE PICATINNY RAIL
The Picatinny Rail accessory comes with a Deluxe
Conversion Kit or a Carry and Tow Conversion Kit. The
Picatinny Rail can be used with any wheel configuration,
but is only recommended for use with the smoother
wheels in the Deluxe Kit. Locomotion may be severely
degraded if a payload is carried with the larger wheels.
To attach the Picatinny Rail, align the screws with either of
the mounting positions on the top of the robot as shown
below. Use a 3/32
"
hex driver to attach it. The screws are
captive and will remain with the Picatinny Rail. Ensure
that the long end of the rail points toward the back of the
robot as shown on the left. Installing the rail in the wrong
orientation as shown on the right may result in difficulty
balancing a payload, or even cause the robot to tip
forward during use.
The carry and tow configuration is designed to allow the
system to transport up to 2 lbs (0.9 kg) mounted on top of
the robot while towing up to 2 lbs (0.9 kg) behind. Some
weight must be mounted on top of the robot in order to
tow a full 2 lbs (0.9 kg), because wheel traction is increased
with carried weight. When the Picatinny Rail and/or any
payload is attached, the robot should not be thrown or
dropped – this can result in damage or in the robot being
unable to right itself if it lands upside-down. See page 10
for more performance differences in this configuration.
The ability to carry and tow payloads is heavily dependent
upon terrain and how the payloads are mounted. User
training and experimentation with payloads is essential
prior to a real deployment. Some key usage tips are:
• When training, it is essential to practice driving without
looking at the robot (use the OCU video only). However,
occasionally observing the robot motion directly may
help the user understand better how to interpret robot
motion when viewing the video feed.
• Try to balance payload weights roughly equally
between carried (mounted on top of the robot) and
CARRY AND TOW (CT) CONFIGURATION
RIGHT
WRONG
