Darpa's First Robotic Ornithopter Hovers, Flies Like a Hummingbird

Popsci ^ | 7-2-09 | Anna Maria Jakubek

[Dysart]

A few years from now, bird-watchers may be in for a double take: that flapping creature in the distance? Nope, not a bird. Mutant dragon fly? Nope--it's Darpa's latest unmanned aerial robo-sentinel, inspired by the flight mechanics of birds.

The tech company Aerovironment recently won a $2.1 million contract to further their work on the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV). One of many progressive projects from Darpa (the Pentagon's advanced-research unit), the NAV is the first-ever "controlled hovering flight of an air vehicle system with two flapping wings that carries its own energy source and uses only the flapping wings for propulsion and control," says Aerovironment.

In the future, Darpa plans to use the teeny NAV for secret indoor and outdoor government missions, like dropping off listening devices and other cargo, and transmiting sound and video to locations as far as a kilometer away.

The above tasks are, presumably, ones that any small air vehicle could take on--which raises a question: cool factor aside, how is the ornithopter better than any run-of-the-mill tiny helicopter? According to Darpa, the advantages lie in something called the Reynolds number, a measurement of airborne efficiency that is lower (and technologically better) for flying creatures (like hummingbirds) compared to regular aircraft.

Aerovironment plans to make the next batch of birds smaller (10 grams and 7.5 cm), faster (22 mph), quieter, and more wind-resistant.

[Dysart]

Video

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Well, Skynet has to start somewhere...

[TXnMA]

Power is apparently a big problem. Note that climb is very sparingly displayed, and that all clips end with the device slowly sinking to the floor (battery depletion). Still a lot of work to do here -- but $2.1 million is a fair amount to work with -- if you're doing most of the work yourself.

Note that the room is sealed with thin plastic sheets; that indicates to me that even slight breezes may be a problem.

Heck, my granddaughter has a commercial (Made in China) 6" battery powered toy RC helicopter that outperforms that thing by 100X... She can take off and land it from/in her hand -- with several minutes of controlled flight in between...

[Cheburashka]

Paging Paul Muad’Dib, pick up the white courtesy phone, Paul Muad’Dib.

[ReformedBeckite]

Your correct in that those little helicopter can do a better job but the intent in the article is that they have developed the first machine with wings that fly like a bird ,an enormous engineering challenge.

These things might be quieter then a small helicopter and more movable then a helicopter only time will tell.

[Conan the Conservative]

“Your correct in that those little helicopter can do a better job but the intent in the article is that they have developed the first machine with wings that fly like a bird ,an enormous engineering challenge.”

Ornithopters are not new and were available 40 years ago. I bought one after hearing an ad on a radio show. It flew by flapping its wings like a bird but it couldnt hover.