On the Birth of Micro Air Vehicles

The history of micro air vehicles really began with the development of model airplanes in the 19th century and the development of radio controlled model airplanes in the 20th century. The improvement in propulsion systems from rubber bands to liquid fuel internal combustions engines and later battery powered electric motors made it possible to produce longer and longer flights. The development of miniature radio receivers and control components in the 1990s also had a large impact on the ability to design a very small flying vehicle. Once the aerodynamics and control of small aircraft models with a mass less that 100 grams were better understood, the micro-air-vehicle was born. This paper traces the history of these events.