Design of a Six-link Mechanism for a Micro Air Vehicle

Micro air vehicle (MAV) is a small flight vehicle that uses lift-generating mechanism different from the mechanism used for a larger aircraft. The MAV may require configurations that are more unusual and approaches, ranging from low aspect ratio fixed wings to rotary wings, or even flapping wings. One of the most efficient lift-generating mechanism in small geometries is observed in the one species of insects Encarsia formosa, as reported by Weis Fogh. This is achieved by generating lift prior to setting up of net circulation. In this paper, the design of a flapping mechanism used to realise the Weis Fogh mechanism of lift generation is described. A single-drive design using concepts of motion synthesis by kinematic inversion technique, followed by dynamic analysis, is presented. This simplification opens the way for future miniaturisation of these devices at economic costs.