| MAV Micro Air Vehicle Based on Organic | | | | interesting documentary that often plays on the |
| Hummingbird Model. There is no more interesting bird | | | | discovery channel called: "Winged Migration" by |
| than a humming bird. Some humming bird species | | | | Jacques Perrin, director. Film crews followed bird |
| migrate, 500 miles? Wow. Efficient little bird isn’t | | | | migration through 40 countries, each of the 7 |
| it? It’s wings move between 60-80 flap cycles | | | | continents and all 4 seasons using everything from hot |
| per minute. We have produced a drawing for a little | | | | air balloons to gliders to get the best footage. This will |
| MAV humming bird and found a suitable motor. It spins | | | | give you good insight into the migratory process of |
| 15,000 rpm. Check out this little Brushless Motor? | | | | birds and how they fly, close-up and personal. Having |
| [ | | | | little insect sized machines or even bird-sized machines |
| In our model we use a little motor live this with a small | | | | would be easy to ignore. I probably wouldn't ignore |
| shaft on it in front of the wing spar. The shaft has an | | | | something like that if it flew by, but most people would. |
| oval shape gear on it with no teeth. As the shaft spins | | | | We should be looking at the flight patterns of |
| the off center shape about the size of a dime touches | | | | hummingbirds as they are fascinating to watch. A |
| the center of the flexible wing spar in the center. The | | | | small camera could be attached to the unit such as |
| wings are attached to this spar, which is a material, | | | | this one: |
| which has memory and as soon as it is pushed out it | | | | [ it could be powered by a small Fuel Cell and battery, |
| bounces back with elasticity, which means you get | | | | like the small ones being made for Cell Phones now. |
| 15,000 flaps per minute. A gear reduction of 400:1 | | | | This was briefly discussed by President and CEO of |
| would give our design of this miniature bird the proper | | | | Sprint at the CES show this week. A small MAV or |
| flying ability and it could travel at my desired speed. | | | | electric humming bird could drop these like tiny |
| Having observed humming birds in hummingbird | | | | cameras like bombs or bird droppings where they |
| feeders and watching them dive bomb the bunnies in | | | | always land right side up, in the ground and they are |
| rabbit enclosures and cats in areas nearby their | | | | on-site cameras which can be used for surveillance or |
| favorite nectar locals. They would feed on apples that | | | | perimeter security? And is this camera technology |
| would ferment, get drunk and do some really crazy | | | | worthy of MAV picture taking? And in case you think |
| stunt flying. It seemed like they could almost do what | | | | this is too far out, think again, have you seen this yet? |
| dragon flies do--hover in one place and then spin 180 | | | | A miniature micro helicopter. |
| degrees and fly off in the opposite direction. In our | | | | [ |
| model we use various known aerodynamic methods | | | | Yes my friends this is all real. So what we are talking |
| to work through these issues. This is easily doable with | | | | about is also very doable now. We can do it, we have |
| control surfaces since the wings produce airflows. | | | | all the parts and drawings. |
| Using the Strouhal number we have calculated the | | | | Regarding the MAV, UAV, OUV, etc. I understand that |
| speed of the motor and frequency of the flap cycle | | | | you may not understand what these are. UAV in an |
| needed. The Strouhal number is amazing that the | | | | Ummanned Aerial vehicle, MAV is a Micro Air Vehicle |
| number falls in the same range for 42 species. The | | | | and OUV we made up is now an Organic Unmanned |
| optimal point for movement through current whether | | | | vehicle. We are also getting a little unnerved by all |
| air or water certainly would point out the highest | | | | these TLA- Three Letter Acronyms? It is difficult |
| propulsive efficiency. | | | | enough to keep up with all these mathematic symbols |
| We can certainly see why the Universities, R & D | | | | all these people keep inventing, but throwing in the |
| people and military are all looking at this. We have | | | | TLAs too, makes for a very TLA- Tough Long |
| done much studying on the ideas of an Organic | | | | Assignment? |
| Unmanned Vehicle or MAV matching what evolution | | | | The way we see it we can maneuver our unit through |
| has taught us. The depth of the wings is in proportion | | | | anything or around any one. Is this possible? We |
| to the length and width of the wing is much of a factor | | | | believe it is. |
| in the heights that birds are able to achieve. An | | | | |