DARPA's Nano Plane
Submitted by hcm1955 on Fri, 07/21/2006 - 15:20.
This is not directly related to SE, but it is an indication where nanotech is heading. From the PIP for DARPA's Nano Airplane Effort:
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals for the re-search and development of a nano air vehicle (NAV) system. DARPA envisions that a NAV system may be based on either conventional or non-conventional air vehicle designs, or potentially a combination of both. NAVs of interest to DARPA are defined as airborne vehicles no larger than 7.5 cm in length, width or height, capable of performing a useful military mission at an affordable cost and gross takeoff weight (GTOW) of less than or equal to 10 grams. While systems that minimize acoustic and visual signatures, and offer some form of natural stealth (by mimicry) are highly desired, no such requirements will be de-fined as part of this solicitation. Nano air vehicles are envisioned as fully functional, militarily capable, fully integrated, very small flight vehicles.
The NAV Program is an exploratory development program with the following overall goal: Develop and demonstrate flight and operation of affordable NAV System with the potential to perform useful indoor and outdoor military missions, and develop and demonstrate flight-enabling technologies for advanced NAV systems, including: a) aerodynamic design tools, b) lightweight efficient propulsion and power, c) naviga-tion, communications and control, and d) advanced manufacturing and packaging.
The military forces of the United States and its allies have an ever present need for improved capabilities enabling the timely collection of comprehensive intelligence information, particularly on the ground in the urban terrain. Information gathered and transmitted by unattended ground sensors of various types may be critical to the successful execution of many military missions, including various special operations. For many scenarios, the effectiveness of such sensors is strongly dependent on their precise location. Achiev-ing optimal performance with respect to both monitoring designated areas and the ability to reliably com-municate useful collected information often requires that the sensors be placed in locations that are not readily accessible: on buildings, walls (exterior or interior, e.g., in tunnels), windows, bridges, caves, tun-nels, towers, rocks, and other vertical or steeply angled surfaces. Emplacing unobtrusive reconnais-sance/surveillance sensors in remote or special high-security areas also demands sophisticated means for delivery. Nano air vehicles (NAVs)—small, recoverable aircraft no larger than 7.5 cm in length, height or width, and gross takeoff weight less than or equal to 10 grams—may provide an effective means for precision delivery and emplacement of small, multi-element sensor packages to locations of interest.
Complete doc can be found at:
http://fs1.fbo.gov/EPSData/ODA/Synopses/4965/BAA06-06/BAA0606PIP.doc
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals for the re-search and development of a nano air vehicle (NAV) system. DARPA envisions that a NAV system may be based on either conventional or non-conventional air vehicle designs, or potentially a combination of both. NAVs of interest to DARPA are defined as airborne vehicles no larger than 7.5 cm in length, width or height, capable of performing a useful military mission at an affordable cost and gross takeoff weight (GTOW) of less than or equal to 10 grams. While systems that minimize acoustic and visual signatures, and offer some form of natural stealth (by mimicry) are highly desired, no such requirements will be de-fined as part of this solicitation. Nano air vehicles are envisioned as fully functional, militarily capable, fully integrated, very small flight vehicles.
The NAV Program is an exploratory development program with the following overall goal: Develop and demonstrate flight and operation of affordable NAV System with the potential to perform useful indoor and outdoor military missions, and develop and demonstrate flight-enabling technologies for advanced NAV systems, including: a) aerodynamic design tools, b) lightweight efficient propulsion and power, c) naviga-tion, communications and control, and d) advanced manufacturing and packaging.
The military forces of the United States and its allies have an ever present need for improved capabilities enabling the timely collection of comprehensive intelligence information, particularly on the ground in the urban terrain. Information gathered and transmitted by unattended ground sensors of various types may be critical to the successful execution of many military missions, including various special operations. For many scenarios, the effectiveness of such sensors is strongly dependent on their precise location. Achiev-ing optimal performance with respect to both monitoring designated areas and the ability to reliably com-municate useful collected information often requires that the sensors be placed in locations that are not readily accessible: on buildings, walls (exterior or interior, e.g., in tunnels), windows, bridges, caves, tun-nels, towers, rocks, and other vertical or steeply angled surfaces. Emplacing unobtrusive reconnais-sance/surveillance sensors in remote or special high-security areas also demands sophisticated means for delivery. Nano air vehicles (NAVs)—small, recoverable aircraft no larger than 7.5 cm in length, height or width, and gross takeoff weight less than or equal to 10 grams—may provide an effective means for precision delivery and emplacement of small, multi-element sensor packages to locations of interest.
Complete doc can be found at:
http://fs1.fbo.gov/EPSData/ODA/Synopses/4965/BAA06-06/BAA0606PIP.doc