Explorera

Explorera is a modular platform designed to facilitate autonomous exploration and data collection across multiple environments, including terrestrial, underwater, and space analogue settings. The platform combines a configurable hardware chassis with a software stack that supports perception, planning, and control, enabling researchers and educators to prototype exploration missions without building systems from scratch. Explorera originated from a multinational collaboration of universities, research institutes, and industry partners aimed at standardizing tools for exploratory robotics and environmental sensing.

Hardware and software components are designed to be interoperable. The base chassis supports wheels or tracks and accepts modular payload bays for cameras, LiDAR, multispectral imagers, sonar, chemical sensors, and sample collection devices. Power options include rechargeable batteries and hybrid systems. The software stack uses a ROS-inspired architecture and includes localization and mapping, mission planning, and autonomy modules. Simulation support is provided through compatible simulators such as Gazebo, enabling virtual testing before field deployment.

Applications for Explorera span academic research, field robotics demonstrations, and educational programs. It has been employed in coastal and cave expeditions, as well as planetary analogue facilities, to test autonomy, data pipelines, and sensor integration. The platform supports teleoperation as a fallback and can execute fully autonomous missions under defined safety and verification procedures.

Development and reception emphasize openness and collaboration. The project is released under an open-source license with community governance and regular updates. A core team maintains reference designs, calibration procedures, and documentation, while contributors participate through public repositories and forums. Limitations include the need for substantial hardware provisioning and robust safety protocols for real-world deployments.

Related topics include autonomous robotics, field robotics, SLAM, and planetary analogue research.