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

Chapter 2.0 Entomopter Configuration and Operation
2.3 Baseline Mars Survey Flight Scenario for System Sizing
2.3 Baseline Mars Survey Flight Scenario for System
Sizing
The sizing and flight performance proofs for the Entomopter-based aerial Mars surveyor will be
based on the following minimal scenario:
1. Entomopter launches from refueling rover and proceeds at an angle between 80 o and 90 o
from the rover's direction of travel. Launch is to the right side of the rover.
2. The rover will move at about 1 m/s.
3. The flight path will go out to nearly 200 m in a straight line, and then a circular 180 o turn
to the left will be initiated. At no time will the Entomopter be at a range of greater than
200 m from the rover.
4. The Entomopter will then fly in a straight line back to the rover, which will have progressed
along its initial path at a rate of 1 m/s. The diameter of the 180 o turn will roughly
equal the distance traveled by the rover during the entire flight out and back.
5. The rover launch platform is assumed to be 1 m above the surface.
6. The flight altitude is 5 m AGL.
7. Flight speed is not fixed, but will be an output from the analysis. Therefore, we might
find that the most efficient flight speed is too fast or too slow to make the Entomopter
meet the rover upon return. We will adjust the rover speed to accommodate whatever
outcome is desired to keep the baseline problem simple.
8. The Mars surface is assumed to be flat, so obstacle avoidance does not enter into this initial
scenario.
9. Mars atmosphere is assumed to be at rest (no wind, no thermals).
10. This will be a daytime mission, and the atmospheric temperature will be over 10 o C.
11. Altitude of flight will be based on terrain-following (flat terrain). Navigation is based
upon relative position cues received from the rover's tracking system.
This is depicted schematically in Figure 2-5.
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