OCTAVE microdrone research. Microdrone being used to test the OCTAVE system. OCTAVE (optical altitude control system for autonomous vehicles) is a way for drones to control their height above the ground in a similar way to that of a locust, by following the contours of the ground. Microdrones, also known as MAVs (micro air vehicles), are being designed for a wide range of surveillance purposes. The OCTAVE system was developed by the Biorobotics Research Group of the Movement and Perception Laboratory at the University of the Mediterranean, Marseille, France. The results were published in 2003.