Centimeter-scale micro air vehicle using explosive evaporation due to underwater electrical discharge

Abstract

Developing a powerful micro-engine capable of continuous operation is vital for a next-generation micro-air vehicle (MAV). Here, we propose a centimeter-scale MAV using explosive evaporation due to underwater electrical discharge. Specifically, by fabricating the MAV (which is tethered to a pendulum and consists of an L-shaped tube and a pair of discharge electrodes), we demonstrate that the MAV can continue to move in air with a maximum velocity of ∼0.4 m s−1. Moreover, through an additional experiment, we find that our device can be used in an untethered state by using a pair of electrodes as an antenna with a pair of external electrodes. Our findings should contribute to next-generation MAVs in the future.