DARPA's new drone weighs ten grams, looks like a hummingbird and can hover for extended periods of time. It's part of a wide range of ongoing NAV programs — Nano Air Vehicles — that simulate bugs and birds for espionage purposes. Teams DARPA and CIA have come a long way since they started flying spy pigeons in the 1960s.  

“The NAV program will push the limits of aerodynamic and power conversion efficiency, endurance, and maneuverability for very small, flapping wing air vehicle systems,” said Dr. Todd Hylton, DARPA program manager. “The goals of the NAV program — namely to develop an approximately 10 gram aircraft that can hover for extended periods, can fly at forward speeds up to 10 meters per second, can withstand 2.5 meter per second wind gusts, can operate inside buildings, and have up to a kilometer command and control range — will stretch our understanding of flight at these small sizes and require novel technology development.”

(photo credit: AeroVironment NAV demonstrator vehicle at end of Phase I program)

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