Case Study 8: Micro Air Vehicles

Breakthrough Technology
Our micro air vehicle (MAV) was originally designed and developed for an application in military support. After completing an SBIR Phase I, we acquired Phase II funding to develop a functioning MAV. This vehicle, called HALO™ for hovering, autonomous, low-observable, is based on a ducted fan system and has been highlighted at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) North American trade shows and other venues, generating strong customer pull.

Customer Pull
Commercial, homeland security, and military industry leaders encouraged the further development of the technology. The working prototype system generated significant interest in several Department of Defense and civil protection agencies. Early prototypes were sold to a major defense aerospace company for integration into the Future Force Warrior system.

Further Development
Since its early design, another version of the unmanned vehicle has been designed, meant to carry more specific and larger payloads and was sold to another commercial customer. This and the smaller version have generated tremendous interest in the growing unmanned vehicle industry.