Micro Aerial Vehicles

Micro aerial vehicles are a class of aircraft, which are defined by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to have a maximum dimension no greater than 15 cm (approximately 6 in.). A more flexible definition includes aircraft whose flight is characterized by low Reynolds number. 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Fig. 1 AeroViromnent s Black Widow MAV [2]... 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Fig. 6 Diagram of time-averaged view of a laminar separation bubble... 

Gyllhem D, Mohseni K, Lawrence D, Geuzaine P (2005) Num simulation of flow around the Colorado micro aerial vehicle. In AIAA paper 2005-4757, 35th AIAA fluid dynamics conference exhibit, Toronto, 6-9 June 2005... 

Cox, A., DJ. Monopoli, and M. Goldfarb. 1999. Development of piezoelectrically actuated elasto-dynamic flapping micro-aerial vehicles. Pp. 257-262 in ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition. AD-Vol. 59/MD-Vol. 87 Adaptive Structures and Materials Systems. New York ASME. 

Pomsin-Sirirak, T.N., Y.-C. Tai, H. Nassef, and C.M. Ho. 2001. Titanium-alloy MEMS wing technology for a micro aerial vehicle application. Sensors and Actuators, A Physical 89(l-2) 95-103. 

Systems Mainly small air vehicles such as micro aerial vehicles (MAV), uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAV) or micro-satellites, which are less constrained with regard to design specifications and regulations and as such more flexible in terms of integrating advanced sensing and actuation technologies. 

There are several power generation processes where PI has a role to play. Currently the most sigiulicant is the fuel cell, where HEX-reactors can be used as reformers on either a relatively large or micro scale. The fuel cell is being developed as a power pack for laptop computers, mobile phones and micro-aerial vehicles. However, as may be seen from Section 11.3.2, the gas turbine engineers have recognised a similar opportunity. 

The current trend towards decentralised power generation has generated interest in small scale, or micro-combined heat and power plant - micro-CHP. While these units can have power outputs of a few kW, the other micro concept relates to the gas turbine alone. While the typical micro-CHP unit is not intensified in our recognition of the term, the micro-turbines proposed with outputs of a few tens of Watts enter the arena currently inhabited by micro-fuel cells. Thus, uses in portable electronic equipment, micro-aerial vehicles, nano-satellites and other similar-sized devices are put forward as reasons for the development of such small turbines. 

PEEK finds uses in unmanned aerial vehicles. The Allied Aerospace electric micro aerial vehicle uses PEEK because of its environmental resistance, low weight, mechanical properties and ease of fabrication... 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Figure 2 MITE2, developed by Naval Research Lab [3]... 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Figure 3 MAV prototype built and flown by University of Florida research group [5]... 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Figure 4 Streamlines around the first-generation... 

Micro Aerial Vehicles, Rgure 5 Weight vs. cruising velocity for various aircraft and animals [14]... 

---