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Micro Munition Adaptive Structure Flight Control Technology

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA8651-09-C-0181
Agency Tracking Number: F081-050-1337
Amount: $749,946.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF081-050
Solicitation Number: 2008.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-04-01
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2011-08-31
Small Business Information
350 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35805
United States
DUNS: 031994218
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Andrew Thies
 Principal Investigator
 (256) 489-8963
 Andrew.Thies@radiancetech.com
Business Contact
 Jennifer Nay
Title: Contracts Administrator
Phone: (256) 489-8584
Email: Jennifer.Nay@radiancetech.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAV) provide an important military and civilian capability to very rapidly deploy an aerial platform for surveillance and observation with minimal resources (i.e. single operator).  As a surveillance platform they can be used for reconnaissance, target identification, assessing bomb damage, search and rescue, locating survivors, etc.  The development of effective MAVs for these surveillance missions and strike missions will require simple, light, power efficient actuators that can be used for control and to morph the aircraft to fit a broader flight envelop as needed by the mission.  Radiance proposes to develop a piezoelectric actuator based on the proven concept of Post Buckled Pre-compressed (PBP) actuators as have been implemented in UAV design.  This actuator will provide an aero-surface morphing capability as well as control surface action to replace current servo technology.  Actuators of this kind have been shown to be simple, lighter and require less power than traditional actuation systems; all aspects that improve the aircraft performance. BENEFITS: Development of a simple, light and power efficient actuators for control surface actuation and aero-surface morphing in MAVs enhances the performance of this class of UAV.  Higher performing MAVs are potentially attractive for civilian surveillance applications such as search and rescue.  Further technology of this kind may be applied to small scale recreational RC aircraft.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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