A drive unit of a robotic vehicle including a top surface having a mounting interface to interchangeably couple with multiple different modular payload structures configured to transport items in a facility, workspace or inventory management environment. The mounting interface is configured to securely engage with a mounting portion of the variety of different payload structures to enable a versatile exchange of the payload structure for different conveyance applications. The drive unit includes an electrical interface to communicatively couple with the modular payload structures. The drive unit is configured to use data communicated via the electrical coupling and interface to identify a type of modular payload structure that is mechanically coupled to the mounting interface and implement a motion profile (e.g., speed and acceleration parameters) associated with the identified modular payload structure.