Aerospace

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Smallest-Ever Autopilot for Micro Aerial Vehicles

Researchers at the Netherlands' Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have designed, built, and tested what they say is the world's smallest autopilot for small unmanned aircraft. The open source autopilot is called Lisa/S, and weighs in at 1.9 grams - over 30 grams less than its predecessor - and measures 2 cm by 2 cm. The TU Delft researchers programmed new software called Superbitrf, which keeps the autopilot connected to a ground station and a normal RC transmitter at the same time. The smaller, lighter autopilot allows a micro aerial vehicle (MAV) to stay up in the air longer and carry heavier cameras and sensors - making it easier to use MAVs for search and rescue missions.