Micro Air Vehicle 3

 

The Micro Air Vehicle programme is an MoD-funded research programme focusing on MAV flight in the urban environment. As part of this programme, Blue Bear is investigating a number of MAV-related problems, namely:

• Vehicle configuration
• Control
• Sensor integration
• Power source selection and integration
• State estimation
• Use of atmospheric energy

 

Highlights so far have included:

• Development of a flying MAV
• Successful deployment of in-flight wing tip extensions as part of an investigation into variable geometry
• Successful high-bandwidth body attitude control of a MAV
• Accurate camera pointing from a MAV
• Flight testing of high manoeuvrability devices including forward fins and thrust vectoring
• Use of thermals and updrafts in the urban area for increased MAV endurance
• Use of optic flow for collision avoidance
• Automatic landing in constrained areas