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Wheeled Base Safety

Scout Mini, Ranger Mini V2 and V3 — see UGVs.

What is specific to wheeled bases. The checks that apply to every robot we supply — testing the emergency stop, clearing the area, battery handling — are on Operational Safety, and you should read that first.

A base does not stop at an edge

A wheeled base under manual control has no idea a stair head, loading dock or mezzanine edge is there, and it will drive off one. On a slope it can also keep rolling after you stop commanding it.

Hazards specific to wheeled bases​

  • Keep hands and cables away from the wheels. The gap between wheel and chassis is a pinch point, and it is at exactly the height where a trailing cable gets pulled in.
  • Know which way yours drives. The Scout Mini is four-wheel differential drive: it turns by driving its wheels at different speeds, and it scrubs sideways when it does. The Ranger Mini has four-wheel steering with omnidirectional modes and can crab sideways or rotate on the spot — if you are used to differential drive, the first sideways move is a surprise. Know which platform and which mode you are in.
  • Slopes and edges. A base under manual control will drive off a ledge. On a slope it can also keep rolling after you stop commanding it.
  • Mind the payload. A tall or heavy payload raises the centre of gravity and makes the base easier to tip, particularly during a fast turn or an emergency stop.

Where you can operate​

Assume the base is not waterproof unless yours was specifically customised. Check the product page for a rating before deploying it somewhere wet.

Surfaces. Loose gravel, deep pile carpet, gratings and wet tiles all reduce traction. Watch for drop-offs — stair heads, loading docks, mezzanine edges and open pits.

While you are developing​

Raise the base so the wheels turn free. Put it on a stable stool or blocks before running new driving code, and the first bad command costs you nothing.

An AgileX wheeled base with mecanum wheels resting on a low stool so all four wheels hang clear of the floor, with an RC transmitter sitting on its top plate
A wheeled base raised so the wheels cannot drive it off the bench. Note the transmitter stowed on top — switch it off when you are not driving.

Start slow. Reduced speed for the first run of any new driving code, in a clear area with room to overrun.

Test your limits before you trust them. Speed caps and boundaries should be verified somewhere a mistake is harmless, not discovered when the base hits something.

Never leave a powered base unattended, and turn the RC controller off when you are not driving.

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