Nano Hummingbird

 

AeroVironment's Nano Hummingbird, which has a wingspan of 6.5 inches (16 centimeters), is capable of flying up and down, left and right, forward and backward, as well as rotating clockwise and counterclockwise, under remote control. It carries a video camera for real-time surveillance and guidance by its operator.

The aviation milestone was achieved as part of a contract awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to AeroVironment (AV) to design and build a flying prototype “hummingbird-like” aircraft for the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) program.

This is a pretty big deal. When NAVs such as the Nano Hummingbird become operational, soldiers fighting a battle in a crowded urban area will be able to use them to fly sophisticated sensors through open windows in buildings to learn about enemy positions. In civilian applications, the NAVs could be used to gather vital information from inside mines, caves and buildings for search and rescue operations. “The success of the NAV program paves the way for a new generation of aircraft with the agility and appearance of small birds,” said Todd Hylton, DARPA’s NAV program manager. TECHNEWS DAILY