Inspired by the maple seed, or samara, the 15.7in-long back-packable Samarai contains only two moving parts - the electrically powered motor/propeller and a single controllable flap on the trailing edge of the wing. The control system is more complex, including a combination of sensing and video processing techniques to "de-spin" the platform for video surveillance capability and position control, and an "outer loop" with GPS input that allows the vehicle to navigate autonomously. Operators do not control the Samarai control surfaces directly, but through the onboard computer using a video downlink from the vehicle.
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©2011 BillypixLockheed Martin's David Sharp flies Samarai |
The company has experimented with several sizes of Samarai, including a 35.8in-long version.
Initially launched as a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency micro UAV program, Lockheed Martin now funds the project internally as part of a broader micro-robotics research plan.
Source: Flight Daily News
