Nanosized aircraft will monitor battlefields

LOCKHEED MARTIN said it had won a contract from DARPA to design a remote controlled nano air vehicle (NAV) to collect military intelligence outdoors and indoors.

The device will be similar in size and shape to a maple tree seed and uses a chemical rocket in a one bladed wing which will send it flying for over 1,000 yards.

The thing will weigh very little and includes comms, navigation, imaging sensors and telemetry.

The NAV will be aimed towards the target and will rotate in flight but can be controlled using its camera, which also transmits images back to a hand held.

Lockheed Martin have $1.7 million and a 10 month contract to come up with the flying seed. µ