In addition to the rover-simulating platform and tether management system, Dielof developed the necessary software and hardware and added them to a bare drone to suit his testing setup.

“Ultimately, in a real mission, the tether could be longer,” concludes Dielof. “The setup could also be extended to include two drones, one tethered and acting as a beacon for another, free-flying exploration drone.”

Lennart Puck of ESA’s Planetary Robotics Lab, Dielof’s internship supervisor, comments: “Dielof’s work has shown not only that a tethered drone is a viable concept for planetary exploration, but also that the tether itself can be used as a new means of localisation.

“This research highlights a pathway for future mission concepts, where tethered systems could operate as reliable extensions of surface-bound vehicles, combining mobility with robust localisation.”