Controlled transitory or sustained gliding flight with dihedral angle and trailing flaps

Abstract

A micro aerial vehicle capable of controlled transitory or sustained gliding flight. The vehicle includes a fuselage. A pair of articulated wings are forward of a center of gravity of the vehicle, the wings being articulated and having trailing edge flaps, and having actuators for controlling the dihedral angles of the wings and the flaps for effective yaw control across the flight envelope. The dihedral angles can be varied symmetrically on both wings to control the aircraft speed independently of the angle of attack and flight-path angle, while an asymmetric dihedral setting can be used to control yaw and the actuators control the dihedral settings of each wing independently. The aircraft lacks a vertical tail or other vertical stabilizer.