Miniature Flight Actuator

To address the Air Force need for innovative actuators that will enable efficient flight control of microair vehicles (MAVs), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Miniature Flight Actuator (MIFA).  This proposed actuator is based on uniquely structured smart material stacks that function on their resonant modes.  The MIFA will provide high driving power and large displacement (>40 mm) with a high torque (>20 Nm) in a miniature form factor (10 yr), low-cost implementation and maintenance (<$20/unit), the absence of parasitic magnetic fields, high resolution in position control, and compatibility with current systems.  The innovation in novel use of the high-density actuator stacks and design of the actuator mechanism coupling to the shaft will enable the MIFA to reconfigure airframes of MAVs efficiently.  In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of MIFA by developing a working actuator that can change the flight surface characteristics of a model wing.  In Phase II, POC plans to develop a full working prototype to show how MIFA controls MAV flight. BENEFIT: The commercialized MIFA will be useful in a broad range of civilian and commercial applications, including in-flight airframe reconfiguration of commercial MAVs for tracking suspects and vehicles, and search and rescue.  It will also be used on military MAVs or UAVs in flight airframe reconfiguration.