Phase II Final Report - NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts

Planetary Exploration Using Biomimetics
An Entomopter for Flight on Mars
Figure 2-4: Integral Propulsion-ultrasonic Obstacle Avoidance and Altimetry System
Motivation for navigation would be based on various remote sensors that will be dictated by the
type of science experiments to be performed by each Entomopter. For example, the search for
life might entail sensors that can detect traces of water or fossil-bearing rock. Other Mars Flyers
could measure atmospheric species or perform reconnaissance for later close inspection by
ground-based rovers. In each case, the Mars Flyers would use preprogrammed search patterns
initially. When measuring a volume, as in the case of atmospheric sampling, the entire flight
might be preprogrammed. When searching for life, a preprogrammed search pattern would be
abandoned in favor of following gradients based on the frequency of occurrence of evidence
(motivational behavior). During the landing process, obstacles on the surface must be negotiated
(avoidance behavior), and the Entomopter must select a spot from which it can launch itself
back into the air as it transitions from ground locomotion to flight.
Due to the occurrence of storms on Mars, the Entomopter-based Mars Flyers might have to seek
shelter on the surface by landing in a self preservation behavior. In all cases however, the Mars
Flyers would have to be able to find their way back to the lander or rover in order to replenish
depleted fuel supplies as they exhibit a feeding behavior also driven by a self preservation motivation.
The ability to fly autonomously is possible because of the ability of the Entomopter to modulate
its coefficient of lift for each wing section on a beat-to-beat basis, thereby controlling attitude.
This feature also permits the vehicle to change heading for navigation. Implicit is the presence
of an onboard inertial system having stability that is either of duration commensurate with the
flight mission length, or that is updated by an external reference analogous to GPS.
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Phase II Final Report