Micro-Air-Vehicles: Can They be Controlled Better?

Micro-air-vehicles (MAV) are small, autonomous, aerial vehicles designed for reconnaissance and difficult to reach missions. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are extremely small machines in which electronic and mechanical components are combined on a single silicon chip using photolithographic micromachining techniques. The question of whether MEMS can help improve the performance of futuristic MAV is pondered. The treatment focuses on the lifting and control surfaces of MAV, particularly the fixed-wing type. Two additional ideas are advanced to improve the performance of the lifting surfaces of MAV: effecting chaotic mixing to energize the laminar boundary layer and thus delay separation; and using genetic algorithms to optimize the shape of the airfoil section