Cicada – Small robot shuttles, the spies from the Pentagon
American scientists have developed a "mini" drone aircraft, which fits in the palm of your hand and can be dropped into an area from the sky, functioning like a smartphone with wings.
As reported in a related AFP article, the name of the "micro air vehicle" is "Cicada", inspired by the insect that inspired its creation. The basic idea is to drop a large number into a hostile area, so that the enemy cannot destroy them all.
Cicada (which, incidentally, is an acronym for Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft) is designed to be smaller, cheaper, and simpler than other similar robotic aircraft - but still capable of carrying out its missions, in terms of monitoring areas and targets.
The prototype cost just $1,000, with the price estimated to drop to $250 a piece, according to Aaron Kahn of the Naval Research Laboratory. It has no engine and has just 10 parts—it's essentially a shuttle with a circuit on top.
It is designed to fly at programmed GPS coordinates, after first being dropped from a larger airplane, balloon, or larger drone.
It can fly at a speed of about 74 kilometers per hour and is practically silent, while visually it does not differ much, from a distance, from a bird.
It has sensors that can perform meteorological measurements, but it is also suitable for many other missions, as it can carry various other sensors and microphones.
“You put a microphone or vibration sensor on them, throw them on a road, and they tell you when they ‘hear’ a car or truck moving down the road,” says Kan. “You know how fast and in what direction they’re moving.
They could also be equipped with magnetic sensors to detect enemy naval vessels or with special means for eavesdropping. However, it is difficult to equip them with cameras, as transmitting video would require a very large bandwidth.
For now, their first use is expected to be meteorological in nature, to gather data on hurricanes, as, as reported, Cicada is particularly durable.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
