INSECTITHOPTER SHORT RANGE -- AIR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06094697
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: December 16, 2019
• Case Number: F-2013-02278

Approved for for Release: 2019/12/16 C06094697
INSECTITHOPTER
SHORT RANGE--AIR
(C; Adkins, ORD)
Description:
This vehicle is a fluttering wing, miniature drone,
which has limited flight characteristics. The design is
intended to be insect-like in appearance when casually
observed.
Status:
Engineering development of the vehicle subsystem
primarily. Approximately $100K has been funded through
FY73.
I. Environmental Consideration:
a. WEATHER
Wind must be 10 fps or less since cruise speed
is about 15 fps. Range will be reduced by the ratio
of head wind speed to cruise speed. Winds below 10
fps will not appreciably affect structures or
stability. Cold weather operations would not look
realistic. Fog or smoke will affect Nav/Commo.
b. TOPOGRAPHY
Only local topographic extremes expected over
200 meter distances.
c. DEMOGRAPHY
High concentration of people and man-made
objects. Detection is improbable at distances
larger than several feet as being anything other
than an insect.
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d. DETECTION
Detection is improbable at distances larger
than several feet as being anything other than an
insect from both acoustic and visual observations.
This obviates cold weather operations.
e. DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS
No known defensive systems at distances larger
than several feet.
f. MISSION PLANNING
This depends greatly on specific mission and
could vary
II. Systems Requirements:
a. VEHICLE
life.
Plausibly disguised to observers as indigenous
b. GUIDANCE AND CONTROL
LOS command.
c, COMMO
LASER IR.
interrupted.
d. NAVIGATION
LASER does not lase if beam is
Vidicon display of vehicle azimuth and
elevation.
d. MISSION CONTROL
Operation- from
within 200 meters of target.
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f. MISSION PLANNING
Comparable to
III. Surface Coverage
a. RANGE
Up to about 200 meters.
b. LAUNCH AND RECOVERY
audio ops.
From rented space through window or roof or
from auto etc.
c. GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Any place or time of year indigenous to insect.
d. TARGETS
Any line-of-sight target within 200 meters of
launch.
IV. Payloads:
Optical microphone has been tested. This would be
used for audio surveillance and could be a payload drop
with vehicle returning to launch poilit or elsewhere. Pay-
load weight is restricted to a few tenths of a gram.
tAA-65
SENET
Approved for Release: 2019/12/16 C06094697