Integrated Computational and Experimental Studies of Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicle Aerodynamics

Abstract : This paper describes recent research on flapping-wing micro air vehicles, based on insect-like aerodynamics. A combined analytical, experimental and CFD approach is being adopted to understand and design suitable wing aerodynamics and kinematics. The CFD has used the Fluent 6 commercial code together with the grid-generating software Gambit 2; the experiments have been conducted in air and water, using various rigs and techniques. Part of our work has used 2D CFD and linear experiments (in a water tunnel). This has revealed details on vortex stability, the role of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and Reynolds number effects. 3D CFD on rotating wings and equivalent experiments in a water tank have then been used to investigate the role of spanwise flow in the leading-edge vortex.

[1]  Kevin Knowles,et al.  Non-linear unsteady aerodynamic model for insect-like flapping wings in the hover. Part 2: Implementation and validation , 2006 .

[2]  M. Dickinson,et al.  Wing rotation and the aerodynamic basis of insect flight. , 1999, Science.

[3]  Rafał Żbikowski,et al.  Design Guidelines for Flapping-Wing Micro UAVs , 2005 .

[4]  Andrew R Harvey,et al.  High-speed photogrammetry system for measuring the kinematics of insect wings. , 2006, Applied optics.

[5]  A. R. Ennos.  The kinematics and aerodynamics of the free flight of some diptera , 1989 .

[6]  Ellington,et al.  A computational fluid dynamic study of hawkmoth hovering , 1998, The Journal of experimental biology.

[7]  Kevin Knowles,et al.  Investigation of aerodynamics relevant to flapping-wing micro air vehicles , 2007 .

[8]  M. Dickinson,et al.  UNSTEADY AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF MODEL WINGS AT LOW REYNOLDS NUMBERS , 1993 .

[9]  C. Ellington.  The Aerodynamics of Hovering Insect Flight. III. Kinematics , 1984 .

[10]  R. Zbikowski.  On aerodynamic modelling of an insect–like flapping wing in hover for micro air vehicles , 2002, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[11]  Kevin Knowles,et al.  Recent Progress Towards Developing an Insect-Inspired Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle , 2007 .

[12]  A. A. Biewener,et al.  Biomechanics-- structures and systems : a practical approach , 1992 .

[13]  Gary D. Lock,et al.  Energy requirements for the flight of micro air vehicles , 2001, The Aeronautical Journal (1968).

[14]  Kevin Knowles,et al.  Aerodynamic modelling of insect-like flapping flight for micro air vehicles , 2006 .

[15]  Kevin Knowles,et al.  Non-linear unsteady aerodynamic model for insect-like flapping wings in the hover. Part 1: Methodology and analysis , 2006 .

[16]  Adrian L. R. Thomas,et al.  Leading-edge vortices in insect flight , 1996, Nature.

[17]  Max F. Platzer,et al.  Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicles , 2006 .