French micro plane fast forwards to hover

(Credit: ISAE)

It may look like something your kids brought home from shop class, but this rugged, French-designed micro air vehicle (MAV) could be a missing link between smooth, steady hover and fast, forward flight.

The inventor, Dr. Jean-Marc Moschetta, professor of aerodynamics at the Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'espace in Toulouse, France, created what he calls the MAVion with both commercial and military markets in mind.

A mere 30 centimeters long, the MAVion combines fixed wings with two counter rotating propellers, allowing it to operate with high aerodynamic efficiency--even in adverse conditions, according to the professor.

"The ultimate goal of the MAVion concept is to demonstrate a twofold capability using the same vehicle: fast forward flight and hover flight," Moschetta explained. "The two counter-rotating tandem propellers provide a simple means to enhance yaw control, which is particularly important in vertical flight."

"The global vision for developing the bimotor MAVion is to provide a fixed-wing aircraft that can be easily upgraded for hover, but also for rolling on the ground or along walls by adding wheels on either side," he said.

The project, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development in London and the French military, took top honors at the International Micro Air Vehicle Flight Competition held in Pensacola, Fla., this year.

(Credit: ISAE)

[Moozle]

If this is so new and revolutionary, why do I keep seeing toys like this advertised on the cable channels? The concept is so obvious that the patent (if any) has probably long expired.

[Mergatroid Mania]

Yeah really, I saw a toy just like this on Discovery channel last year. This is not a new design.

[SlimGem]

It's things like this that have given the French military their well deserved reputation. Hopefully, the propellers on this are more dependable than those on the carrier 'Charles de Gaulle'.

Speaking of which, I just envisioned its' massive deck covered with these things. Talk about 'Shock and Awe'!

[Mergatroid Mania]

They will have to make sure the propellers can spin backwards so the French can use their most famous strategic maneuver.

[sartor1]

Looks very cool! It will be interesting to see if the technology in this MAV will be incorporated into full scale jets/turbo props.

[ckurowic]

V-22 Osprey.

[sparrowhyperion]

Um... Osprey...

[geodude360]

looks like something out of the Airhog's catalog

[ash5353]

Who needs props when you have this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9QpDw9-li8
Quite impressive.

[jmartinbsu]

That's exactly what I was thinking! V-22!

Maybe the award was for innovative ways to rip off another in-production plane?

[mudphud]

It doesn't look like a V22, the propellers appear to be fixed. I've never heard of a fixed propeller plane transitioning to hover- it's too unstable. I think what they mean is a drone that you could use like a plane or a helicopter in different situations, but it can't do both.

[websterphreaky]

Unfortunately for Dr. Jean-Marc Moschetta, I've been building and flying ones just like these made out of Depron and EPP Foam, along with thirty or forty other RC'ers at our Orange County Club, for the last 5 years!!

The French are just like crAPPLE, the come out with some product that has been around for years made by other people or companies and CLAIM they invented it! (iPud = Rio MP3, iPhone = LG Smart Phone, Newton = Casio PF-15115-36 and Psion, etc)

crAPPLE and the French ..... the Great iNOvators

[CanadianKat]

... wow, seriously? You really hate Apple so much that you have to bring it into a discussion about planes? You know, there's anti-fanboyism, and then there's just silly.

[SlimGem]

Well, there's silly, and then there's schizophrenic. Very sad.

[SolarSaves]

WOW then if your RC can make that smooth transition between hovering and fast forward flight, the US Air force would like to see it.
Oh, you lied and your RC can't hover?
How like MicroSoft you are, promising things that you can't do and trying to obfuscate the issue with Apple bashing...

[Mergatroid Mania]

As I mentioned , Discovery channel last year. This is not new.

[luke_marsh]

Simple but totally revolutionary nice invention.

[scotm33]

Cool idea to use it for a micro plane. Reminds me a lot of the old Lockheed XFV or the Convair XFY designs.

[panthecat]

What?s so new about this idea? The P-38 Lightning of WW2 fame had counter rotating propellers. The Cessna 337 (O-2B Skymaster) has 2 counter rotating props, one fore, the other aft. Lots of aircraft have had counter rotating props. Who needs to study history any more?