A Novel, Biologically Inspired Multi-mode MAV

The role of Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) in the future battlespace is projected to increase tremendously in the immediate future. Currently, viable mission scenarios for MAVs are constrained by their limited size and flight dynamics. MAVs have difficulty maintaining constant surveillance as they must remain in constant motion to stay aloft and hence may not be able to provide constant target surveillance or have sufficient endurance. One potential approach to mitigating these shortcomings is to endow the MAV with a terrestrial locomotion capability so that it can maneuver itself to an appropriate location and perch while performing the desired ISR or RSTA operations. The proposed work seeks to extend the results obtained by Orbital Research and Theiss Aviation during a successful Phase I SBIR program that established the feasibility of a Multi-mode MAV design. The selected vehicle design tightly integrates terrestrial locomotion and flight systems in order to reduce weight, size and mobility system specific structures. Orbital Research will build upon this work to develop and demonstrate a prototype Multi-mode MAV. The program will culminate with a full demonstration of the MAV's ability to take off, fly, land, negotiate terrain in order to accomplish mission objectives, and return to flight.