The micro air vehicle (MAV) is a type of small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), typically even smaller than the small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV).
The MAV appears as a gadget in Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, where they are based on the Honeywell RQ-16 T-Hawk. The Honeywell RQ-16 T-Hawk is a MAV produced by Honeywell International, Inc., that has been in use with the United States Navy since 2008. It was proposed to be used by the United States Army and would have entered service in 2011, but the program it was in was canceled in 2010. The craft comes with placement for both a downward and forward looking day or IR camera.
Battlefield 3[]
— Battlelog description
The MAV is a gadget featured in Battlefield 3.
Singleplayer[]
During Thunder Run, a remote MAV operator patches his video feed to the "Anvil" armored detachment, allowing Corporal Miller to designate an airstrike on a rocket artillery camp. A pair of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs respond and strafe the camp, but only result to little effect on the target, primarily taking care of infantry and anti-air emplacements over the BM-21s.
Multiplayer[]
The MAV is a gadget issued to the Recon Kit. It is deployable and is used to remotely spot enemies. Players can earn awards for effective use of the MAV.
Standard thermal imaging can highlight certain equipment. Visibility is limited to a sector below horizontal and above vertical. This prevents the operator from seeing anything directly underneath or the hemisphere above the MAV.
A built-in motion sensor can passively detect moving infantry and vehicles. This function detects enemies in an infinitely tall cylinder (with a vertical axis) around the MAV, capable of detecting enemies through roofs and other map features. Like the T-UGS, the motion sensor function can only detect moving enemies, and it does not provide real-time data on enemy movement, only "pings" of their locations that appear on friendly minimaps. The T-UGS has a faster scan rate and smaller profile. If left unattended, the MAV can continue to provide surveillance, and the operator will gain both Spotting and Motion Sensor Assists. Spring metal feet allow the vehicle to safely return to ground if the vehicle is airborne at the time.
Though not equipped with weapons, the MAV can jam and thus destroy various enemy gadgets by pressing Fire or Countermeasures. The operator can obtain weapon lock from a fair distance away to simplify the process, but can still destroy devices that are not locked with good aim. Enemy MAVs may evade lock if they are very close. Should opposing MAVs be near each other at their flight ceiling, scoring a disable requires an exceedingly difficult glancing hit since they cannot aim directly at each other.
The MAV is capable of roadkills by ramming into an opposing player at high speeds. In the killfeed, it is usually referred to as "KILLED" and the victim can't be revived by any friendly Assault, although after a patch the killfeed will occasionally mention MAV as the cause of death correctly and the victim can be revived. The operator of the MAV doesn't show up on the killcam. Since the 1.04 patch, the MAV is destroyed in the process of getting a roadkill.
MAVs have their own minimap icon. Friendly MAVs appear in blue, while spotted enemy MAVs appear in red.
The MAV can be shot down by enemies, though its small size and decent maneuverability make the task difficult. This is balanced out by the fact that it can be locked on not only by anti-air weapons but also by guided missiles that would ordinarily require laser designation to shoot aerial targets, such as Javelins and guided shells. It can also be laser designated as with manned vehicles, although teammates might not see the designation marker on their end.
If the MAV strays out of bounds for too long, it will be automatically destroyed. The operator can simply exit remote viewing, leaving the MAV where it is, and resume viewing to restart the countdown. The operator cannot use the remote when out of bounds, preventing exploits of the map boundary by the character himself. The MAV shares boundaries with soldiers, despite being an aerial vehicle.
In certain small maps like Seine Crossing, the MAV has a low ceiling (lower than the rooftops), limiting its ability to traverse the battlefield. The MAV can't hover in those maps either, requiring players to constantly hold down the ascend button/key to stay at maximum altitude. Unseen map geometry features can also make for some tricky maneuvering.
HUD Elements[]
Like the EOD Bot, the MAV shows various bits of info in its display[1][2]:
- Camera bearing
- GPS latitude and longitude
- Camera elevation/declination
- Recording time of day
- Range in meters to crosshair target (maximum of 200 m)
Jam Equipment[]
The MAV can jam certain devices, locking on and destroying them and earning the player 20 points:
- Other MAVs
- EOD Bot
- T-UGS
- SOFLAM
- Radio Beacon
Claymore mines can also be spotted and destroyed, though they cannot be locked on like other devices. Anti-tank mines and C4 cannot be detonated, but can be seen in infrared and spotted for teammates to see.
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Battlefield 4[]
— Battlelog description
The MAV is a gadget available for the Recon class in Battlefield 4. It functions in a similar manner to that of its predecessor.
MAVs can now lock onto and destroy more gadgets using its jamming function (Fire), including AT mines and C4 that it couldn't affect in Battlefield 3, and the M224 Mortar that is now remote controlled. Certain interactive items like car alarms and metal detectors can also be set off by MAV jamming. It is possible to achieve kills with the MAV by destroying an explosive like an AT mine, C4, etc., with the jammer. The resulting explosion from the explosives being destroyed can kill infantry and potentially destroy armored vehicles.
MAVs no longer inflict any impact damage against enemies, but can knock away enemy infantry without taking damage.
It can be destroyed by missiles, bullets, jamming by enemy MAVs, or impacts with vehicles. MAVs do not take damage from enemy EMP UAVs, but can have their spotting abilities interrupted by them. Although It's not big enough to be discovered in the sky at a distance, you can easily discover MAVs by using lock-on weapons or gadget like PLD, IGLA and Stinger. They are also very loud, easily giving thier position away in quieter areas.
While the MAV keeps its proximity scanner to detect nearby enemies, it is no longer active when the operator exits remote control. The sound emitted by the MAV is slightly altered, beeping at mid tone only when enemies are nearby.
Manual spotting is slightly altered, to reflect changes conferred by specializations, two of which change the time enemies remain spotted (ADVANCED SPOT, QUICK UNSPOT). All spots eventually drop, whether or not the MAV is looking at the target. Operators now gain only the appropriate spotting bonus—visual spotting or motion detection—along with any squad bonuses and flag capture score.
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Battlefield 2042[]
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— In-game description
The MAV is a gadget featured in Battlefield 2042. Only available in the Battlefield Portal, it functions in the exact same manner as it's counterpart in Battlefield 3.
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Trivia[]
- Like the EOD Bot, the time of day that is shown on the MAV's camera in both games is the time that is programmed to the Greenwich Mean Time zone.
- Dogfights can potentially occur between MAV's, though they may last a long time becuase managing to time a shot to destroy the other MAV may be difficult.
Battlefield 3[]
- During the beta, the MAV was able to carry C4 for use in a C4 UAV attack, and carry other soldiers (similar to the drone elevator exploit). The C4 carrying ability was removed in the retail version (as with similar behaviors with the EOD Bot). The C4 packs will simply not stick to the device. The soldier carrying abilities were patched later in the March 1.04 update.
- The MAV can destroy the Gunship by flying into it and the operator exiting controls at the last moment.
- The 1.05 patch made anti-air weaponry more reliable. As such, MAVs can no longer escape heat seekers or guided weapons by staying in motion.
- If the MAV stops being controlled by the player, the lock-on may be interrupted.
Battlefield 4[]
- Strangely, soldiers uniforms will appear white when viewed in the MAV, but skin will be black, signifying that it is not hot.
- Until the December 16, 2013 patch, the MAV and other drones could assist in flag capture.
References[]
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