A 38mm (1.5in), 9g (0.32oz) reconnaissance nano air vehicle (NAV) with a single rotating wing is to be designed by Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) under a $1.7 million, 10-month Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.
With a range of 1,000m (3,300ft), the rocket-powered rotating-wing vehicle would fly like a maple seed, is remotely controlled and transmits stable video images.
The research will investigate engine, airframe, flight control, navigation and communication systems. "Some of the technologies vital to our success have yet to be discovered," says ATL director James Marsh.
DARPA may fund an additional 18-month contract, which could include flying a prototype, if a series of tests leading to a preliminary design review in mid-2007 conclude that further work is justified.
Source: Flight International