This is Not a Smartphone, Just a Pocket-Sized Foldable Drone That Flies Like a Dream

A group of students at Texas A&M University’s Advanced Vertical Flight Laboratory (AVFL) have built a James Bond-worthy 112-gram micro air vehicle (MAV) that folds into the size of a smartphone and stabilizes itself after being tossed into the air. This tiny drone has foldable propeller arms that go from your pocket to the sky in seconds.

Weighing just 112 grams, this MAV is lighter than a can of soda. Its most impressive feature is its ability to fold into a compact rectangular shape, roughly the size of a smartphone, so you can carry it in your pocket or bag. The propeller arms, which extend outward during flight, lock into place when folded, so the drone remains sleek and portable. When you throw it into the air, the arms unfold automatically and the drone stabilizes itself, even if it’s spinning at 2,500 degrees per second.

The secret to this drone’s stability is its feedback controller, a clever system that allows it to recover from crazy spins and settle into a hover. Multiple flight tests, documented by the AVFL team, show the MAV can handle all sorts of launch scenarios. Whether it’s a gentle throw or a high-speed toss, the drone’s onboard sensors and algorithms figure out the orientation and change the propellers accordingly.

Behind the scenes, the MAV’s design is a lesson in size, weight and performance. Texas A&M’s team, which included undergrads Hunter Denton and Farid Saemi, worked to create a vehicle that was both light and strong. The foldable propeller arms are the key innovation, allowing the drone to have a tiny footprint while still providing enough lift to hover.

This MAV was made possible through extensive flight dynamics modeling. The researchers created a 6DOF model which was validated during flight tests with a motion capture device. This model simulates how the drone moves in 3D and accounts for forces like lift, drag and torque. By comparing the model to real world data the researchers were able to improve the drone’s performance and make it robust to the uncertainties of a hand launch. This is what sets the MAV apart – it’s not just a prototype but a tested system ready for use.

This drone’s applications are as cool as the design, as it’s small and fast to deploy making it perfect for emergency situations like search and rescue in hard to reach areas. First responders could carry these MAVs in their pockets and launch them into the air to scout disaster zones or find survivors. Military uses are also possible as the drone is portable and strong for reconnaissance in harsh environments. Even civilians can benefit from a drone as easy to use as a smartphone, for aerial photography or inspecting hard to reach areas like rooftops.
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