Aerodynamics and flight control design for hovering micro air vehicles

A general overview is presented on a new area of development, namely the 15-cm and smaller micro air vehicle (MAV) technology. The general set of postulated mission requirements is the driver for the design configuration and performance specifications for this class of aircraft. Low Reynolds number and thus low aerodynamic efficiency, power density, weight, and stability in the presence of gust are significant technical challenges for the MAV-sized class of platforms to conduct long-endurance and range missions. A 15-cm hovering MAV concept is presented, with design attributes to circumvent the stabilization and control issues associated with the conventional helicopter. Aerodynamic, stabilization, and control approaches and analysis are presented