Lockheed
Martin engineers are developing a UAV (Unmanned Arial Vehicle) that flies like a maple seed. Bill Borgia, head of
the company's Intelligent Robotics Lab, explains that the project is part of its work on DARPA’s
Nano Air Vehicle
project. One really cool feature is its onboard video camera that, with the help of software, produces a stable
picture that appears to be fixed (non-rotating). Per the designers, the advantage of this platform is compact size
and low cost, which can make them expendable. Operation is a bit clumsy right now, but no doubt with improved
software and sensors they will eventually be useful.
"The
Nano Air Vehicle
(NAV) program is developing an extremely small, ultra lightweight air vehicle system (less than 15 centimeters and
less than 20 grams) with the potential to perform indoor and outdoor military missions. NAV is exploring novel, flapping
wing and other configurations to provide warfighters with unprecedented capability during urban operations. NAV will
push the limits of aerodynamics, power conversion efficiency, endurance and maneuverability for very small air vehicle
systems. These platforms will be revolutionary in their ability to harness low Reynolds number physics, navigate in
complex environments, and communicate over significant distances. Flight-enabling nano air technologies include aerodynamic
design tools to achieve high lift-to-drag airfoils; lightweight, efficient propulsion and power systems; guidance,
navigations and communication subsystems; and advanced manufacturing and innovative subsystem packaging and configurations
layouts." - DARPA
There was a free flight model called the
Charybdis that appeared in the October 1972 edition of
American Aircraft Modeler.
"The