One of the critical elements of the MicroStar MAV program is the development of innovative microelectronics and the integration of these payloads into a 6-in airframe. The MAV fulfills the need for an airborne vehicle that will perform a useful military mission at an affordable cost. DARPA envisions individual soldiers at the platoon, company, or brigade level using such vehicles for reconnaissance and surveillance; battle damage assessment; targeting; sensor placement; communications relays; or for sensing chemical, nuclear, or biological substances. The MicroStar is focused on the over-the-hill imaging mission striving for ranges of up to 6 mi at speeds of up to 30 mph for missions that are 20-60 minutes long.

Maxtek will develop two MCMs - a processor and a data - for the MicroStar program. MCMs are entire circuits packaged on a ceramic, flex, organic, or other substrate, using unpackaged IC die and laser-trimmed passives. Through these techniques, MCMs can offer unparalleled speed, signal integrity, and density. Typical uses of MCMs include high-speed, high-power, or high-density applications such as digital processing, wireless data transmission, test and measurement, and fiber optics.

Frank Bokulich