A new rugged micro air vehicle (MAV) developed by a french researcher with the help of aid from the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development and the French defence ministry has attracted interest from the US Air Force for its high aerodynamic efficiency.
MAVion is a 30-cm, fixed-wing MAV with two counter-rotating propellers that can smoothly transition between hover and fast-forward flight that is attractive to the air force.
Institut superieur de l'aeronautique et de l'espace aerodynamics professor Dr Jean-Marc Moschetta, who created the MAV, said the ultimate goal of the MAVion concept is to demonstrate a two-fold capability using the same vehicle: fast forward flight and hover flight.
"The two counter-rotating tandem propellers provide a simple means to enhance yaw control, which is particularly important in vertical flight," he said.
The vehicle will be further developed in a version capable of vertical flight and with quality improvements.
