Toward indoor flying robots

Developing a research autonomous plane for flying in a laboratory space is a challenge that forces one to understand the specific aerodynamic, power and construction constraints. In order to obtain a very slow flight while maintaining a high maneuverability, ultralight structures and adequate components are required. In this paper we analyze the wing, propeller and motor characteristics and propose a methodology to optimize the motor/gear/propeller system. The C4 model plane (50g, 1.5m/s) demonstrates the feasibility of such a laboratory flying test-bed.