MAV'S - Bug Sized Spies

MAV’s could be as tiny as bumblebees and able to fly undetected in buildings, giving realism to the saying “if I could be a fly on the wall.” The drones are capable of firing tiny weapons as well as record audio of insurgents and terrorists.

The U.S. Navy hopes to develop these tiny robots in an effort to reduce casualties from war. Military engineers envision sending a swarm of MAV’s into buildings where U.S. enemies are, gather intelligence without being compromised while cutting down on the risks associated with spying.

Currently, un-manned aerial vehicle drones are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The creation of MAV’s would miniaturize those types of intelligence assignments. In addition to cutting down on military casualties, civilian injuries and deaths would be reduced as well with the implementation of MAV’s.

Plans call for the development of a bird-sized robot as soon as 2015, followed by the insect-sized models by 2030. This type of proactive military intelligence collecting would be beneficial in thwarting any eminent attack from enemies. MAV’s would serve as an early warning system.

Military designers are working through the dilemma of weight—they must enable the MAV’s to carry the weight of microphones and cameras on a device as small as an insect. In addition to being able to fly inside buildings, the MAV’s could also perch upon the tops of buildings and wires, as well as flapping their wings. The flapping of the wings would be controlled by a separate propulsion system independent of the spy functionality of the devices.

The engineers are designing the MAV’s to resemble the motions of a bird, so as not to bring attention to them. MAV’s would have a 1-inch wing span, with the wings made of an elastic material. They would also be equipped with sensors to keep them from slamming into buildings, people and objects. Another feature of the MAV’s would be they would be preprogrammed, and not controlled by a human.