Piccolissimo: The smallest micro aerial vehicle

The goal of Piccolissimo is to create a small, simple, and self-powered flying vehicle. Piccolissimo has just one motor and two rigid bodies, which are propellers that spin in opposite directions. The mass distribution and relative rotor speeds are designed to maintain passive stability in hover. Cartesian velocity control is obtained by introducing an asymmetry in the rotation axis of the two rotating bodies and pulsing the thrust at appropriate times. The dynamic model for this device is developed and presented, highlighting the terms that enable a workable design. Two devices are discussed: a vertically controllable version that is 28 mm in the largest dimension and Cartesion controllable version that is 39 mm in the largest dimension.