Micro Air Vehicle Team
Problem Statement
The objective of the project is to design a micro-reconnaissance air vehicle. This aircraft must be able to fly at least 600 yards and back and must be equipped with the necessary equipment for recording surveillance footage in the area where it is flying. There is no size restrictions however the smaller the better.
Project Summary
Technology today is persistently changing and improving. It seems that every day electronics such as computers and telephones are getting smaller and smaller. This trend has proven true as well in the aeronautics industry. Recently there has been a big push for the autonomization of flight known as the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). This technology leads to smaller planes by eliminating the need for seating room for an on-board pilot. Along with this technology comes the concept of the Micro Air Vehicle (MAV). The purpose of this is to create a reconnaissance vehicle that can fly for a certain period of time, take a picture of a target and not be detected by radar.
The MAV senior design project team plans to research and develop a miniature aircraft over the course of this year. The proposed aircraft will be remote controlled and able to carry a miniature camera. This camera will be able to take still photographs of the land over which it is flying. The target size for the aircraft is between ¾ and 8 inches for the longest linear dimension of the aircraft. The aircraft will be able to fly by remote control for 600 yards, take a photograph of a symbol on the ground and return to the launch site within 45 minutes of the initial launch of the vehicle.
The project team has been split up in two groups. The first group with research and develop the wing design and find the material for the wings. The second group with investigate the necessary electronics and motors required for the project. By this we hope to develop a light weight, stable MAV.