Unique new MAV operates with high aerodynamic efficiency

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A French researcher, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (EOARD), in London, England and the French DoD has designed a rugged micro air vehicle (MAV) that is attractive to the US Air Force because of its high aerodynamic efficiency, even in adverse conditions. Credit: (Credit: Institut Superieur de l’Aeronautique et de l’espace)
A French researcher, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development, in London, England and the French DoD has designed a rugged micro air vehicle (MAV) that is attractive to the U.S. Air Force because of its high aerodynamic efficiency, even in adverse conditions.
Dr. Jean-Marc Moschetta, Professor of Aerodynamics at the Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'espace in Toulouse, France created what he calls the MAVion, a 30-cm, fixed-wing MAV with two counter-rotating propellers that is able to make a smooth and steady transition between hover and fast forward flight, both of which are very attractive features for military and commercial use.
"The global vision for developing the bimotor MAVion is to provide a fixed-wing aircraft that can be easily upgraded for hover, but also for rolling on the ground or along walls by adding wheels on either side," said Moschetta.
So successful was Moschetta's MAV design, it took top honors at the Fourth Annual International Micro Air Vehicle Flight Competition held in Pensacola, Florida earlier this year. Encouraged by the success of the current craft, Moschetta is now looking at developing a MAVion that will be oriented towards vertical flight and handling quality improvement.
"The ultimate goal of the MAVion concept is to demonstrate a twofold capability using the same vehicle: fast forward flight and hover flight," he said. "The two counter-rotating tandem propellers provide a simple means to enhance yaw control, which is particularly important in vertical flight," he said.
"This innovative, MAVion, with its simplistic design, may have a potential for both military and civil applications in the future," said Dr. Surya Surampudi, EOARD Chief, Aeronautical Sciences, who oversees the project.

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法国航空航天达学的空气动力学教授Jean-Marc Moschetta博士发明了一种名为MAVion的微型固定翼飞机。由于采用了优化的空气动力学设计，因此即使在恶劣的环境下，这种飞机也能以较快的速 度向前飞行，而且还能在空中平滑稳定地悬停并进行垂直起降。这种飞机只有30厘米长，飞机的左右机翅各安装有一个转向相反的螺旋桨，飞机的所有动作只需要 通过这两个螺旋桨即可完成。
Moschetta博士介绍称：“MAVion机型的研制目标是要做到一机两用，既可以向前高速飞行，又可以做出空中悬停等的动作。而机上安装的一对反向旋转的螺旋桨则起到了至关重要的作用。”
“我们开发的双发型MAVion飞行器为业界提供了一种固定翼设计的可悬停飞行器设计方案，当然，安装起落架后，这种飞行器也可以滑跑起降，甚至可以从竖直的发射井中起降。”
这项研究计划是在有伦敦和法国_军方背景的欧州航空航天研究开发署的赞助下进行的。在今年于美国佛罗里达州Pensacola市举办的一次国际微型飞行器竞赛中，该设计获得了最高奖项。

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