Micro Air Vehicle (2006 - Present)

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; and
• 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; and
• automatic landing in constrained areas.