The
vehicle has low acoustic signature and is compact and lightweight
enough to be carried in a backpack. Its propulsion system uses a
pair of coaxial rotors and thrust vectoring system designed specifically
for vehicles of this size, enabling the vehicle to withstand gust
loads and travel in any direction with no apparent nose or tail,
enabling the MAV to stop, hover and change course without rotating
the body for maneuverability and camera stability.
This
vehicle will be equipped with 'insect behavior', to autonomously
navigate its surroundings and make logical decisions to avoid obstacles.
A lightweight optic flow sensor is integrated into the vehicle's
obstacle avoidance system, enabling it to rely on vision-based strategies
to recognize objects and plan alternative routes, much like insect
behavior. This obstacle avoidance system will be integrated into
the flight control system, added with GPS/INS navigation, communication
and camera-centric control. CRG are developing the vehicle to meet
a specific requirement from a classified US military program which
will probably support Intelligence, Surveillance ad Reconnaissance
as well as precision attack and forcible response by the use optionally
lethal versions of the Miniature vehicle.