ArXiv

MIRA: A Modular Open-Source Micro-UAV for Indoor Research

2026-07-13 · 16:37 UTC ·Lucas K. de Oliveira, Felipe A. G. Tommaselli, João Aires Marsicano... ·1 min read
Authors
Lucas K. de Oliveira, Felipe A. G. Tommaselli, João Aires Marsicano...
Categories
cs.RO, eess.SY
arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.11785v1
PDF
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.11785v1

Brief

MIRA targets the need for easily modifiable micro-UAVs by combining a 3D-printed PLA airframe with a containerized Micro XRCE-DDS companion-to-autopilot bridge, permitting subsystem swaps without firmware changes. The authors validated the platform via manual position-control flights in a motion-capture volume: latency median 0.02 ms and vibrations confined to 90–110 Hz, preserving sub-20 Hz control stability. (Summary based on the paper abstract.)

Why it matters

MIRA is an open-source, low-cost modular micro-UAV with a replicable 3D-printed PLA airframe and a containerized low-level software stack that implements the companion-to-autopilot bridge using Micro XRCE-DDS, enabling white-box replaceable subsystems without firmware refactoring.

Key details

  • Flight characterization in an optical motion-capture volume shows a median companion-to-autopilot latency of 0.02 ms and structural vibration energy concentrated in a 90–110 Hz band, isolated from the sub-20 Hz control bandwidth and within the autopilot's safety thresholds.
Source evidence

Abstract

Indoor robotics research increasingly relies on micro-UAVs whose airframe, electronics, and control software are fully open to modification. Off-the-shelf platforms rarely expose the low-level access required for such modifications, while building a custom alternative typically requires substantial engineering effort before flight testing can begin, leaving many laboratories to work within constraints that limit the scope of their research. We present MIRA (Modular Indoor Research Architecture), a low-cost, open-source micro-UAV for indoor research built around a replicable 3D-printed PLA airframe and a containerized low-level software package managing the companion-to-autopilot communication bridge via Micro XRCE-DDS. Designed as a white-box architecture, core subsystems are individually replaceable without firmware refactoring, supporting local fabrication and component substitution from existing lab inventory. We characterize MIRA through manual flight in position-control mode within an optical motion-capture volume, where the communication pipeline sustains a median companion-to-autopilot latency of 0.02 ms and power spectral density analysis confirms the structural vibration energy stays concentrated in a narrow 90 to 110 Hz band, isolated from the sub-20 Hz control bandwidth and within the autopilot safety thresholds.