Theoretical analysis and experimental verification for sizing of flapping wing micro air vehicles

To design efficient flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs), a comprehensive sizing method based on theoretical and statistical analyses is proposed and experimentally verified. This method is composed of five steps including defining and analyzing the MAV mission, determining the flying modes, defining the wing shape and aspect ratio of the wing, applying the constraint analysis based on the defined mission, and estimating the weights of the electrical and structural components the bio-inspired flapping wing micro air vehicle. To define the vehicle mission and flight plan, path analysis is performed based on the defined mission, the speed of cruise and turning, the turning radius and climatic conditions in the flight area. Following the defined mission analysis, the appropriate modes of flying for the flapping wing bird are recognized. After that, the wing shape and the wing aspect ratio are determined based on the defined flight modes. To estimate the wing loading, a constraint analysis is exploited. Along with the four listed steps, statistical method is employed to estimate the FWMAV weight. Based on the proposed method for wing sizing of flapping wings, a FWMAV named Thunder I has been designed, fabricated, and tested. This developed methodology is very beneficial by giving guidelines for the design of efficient bioinspired FWMAVs.

[1]  Mark Ryan,et al.  Design Optimization and Classification of Compliant Mechanisms for Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles , 2012 .

[2]  Tomonari Furukawa,et al.  Design of an active flapping wing mechanism and a micro aerial vehicle using a rotary actuator , 2010 .

[3]  David Lentink,et al.  Nature-inspired flight—beyond the leap , 2010, Bioinspiration & biomimetics.

[4]  D. Pines,et al.  Challenges Facing Future Micro-Air-Vehicle Development , 2006 .

[5]  Dmytro Silin,et al.  Aerodynamics and flight performance of flapping wing micro air vehicles , 2010 .

[6]  C. H. Greenewalt.  Dimensional relationships for flying animals , 1962 .

[7]  Abbas Ebrahimi,et al.  Experimental investigation of the effect of chordwise flexibility on the aerodynamics of flapping wings in hovering flight , 2010 .

[8]  V. Tucker,et al.  GLIDING BIRDS: REDUCTION OF INDUCED DRAG BY WING TIP SLOTS BETWEEN THE PRIMARY FEATHERS , 1993 .

[9]  R. Liebe,et al.  Flow Phenomena in Nature Volume 1: A Challenge to Engineering Design , 2006 .

[10]  J. D. Delaurier,et al.  An aerodynamic model for flapping-wing flight , 1993, The Aeronautical Journal (1968).

[11]  Mostafa Hassanalian,et al.  A new method for design of fixed wing micro air vehicle , 2015 .

[12]  Richard G. Cobb,et al.  Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Insect-Sized MAV Wing Flapping Mechanism , 2011 .

[13]  Beverly Beasley,et al.  A Study of Planar and Nonplanar Membrane Wing Planforms for the Design of a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle , 2006 .

[14]  Brian Est,et al.  Experimental aerodynamic characteristics of the LongFOG missile , 1995 .

[15]  U. Norberg.  Vertebrate Flight: Mechanics, Physiology, Morphology, Ecology and Evolution , 1990 .

[16]  James Lighthill,et al.  Aerodynamic Aspects of Animal Flight , 1975 .

[17]  J. P. Whitney,et al.  Conceptual design of flapping-wing micro air vehicles , 2012, Bioinspiration & biomimetics.

[18]  V. Tucker,et al.  Aerodynamics of Gliding Flight in a Falcon and Other Birds , 1970 .

[19]  Joon-Hyuk Park,et al.  Designing a Biomimetic Ornithopter Capable of Sustained and Controlled Flight , 2008 .

[20]  Pennycuick.  Wingbeat frequency of birds in steady cruising flight: new data and improved predictions , 1996, The Journal of experimental biology.

[21]  Adrian L. R. Thomas,et al.  Tuning of Strouhal number for high propulsive efficiency accurately predicts how wingbeat frequency and stroke amplitude relate and scale with size and flight speed in birds , 2004, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

[22]  Colin J Pennycuick,et al.  Towards an optimal strategy for bird flight research , 1998 .

[23]  Meng-Sing Liou,et al.  Non-sinusoidal Trajectory Optimization of Flapping Airfoil using Unsteady Adjoint Approach , 2011 .

[24]  Robyn Lynn Harmon,et al.  Aerodynamic modeling of a flapping membrane wing using motion tracking experiments , 2008 .

[25]  Ahmed Elshabka,et al.  Experimental Aerodynamic Characteristics of Flapping Membrane Wings , 2009 .

[26]  Stefan Seelecke,et al.  Design and fabrication of a bat-inspired flapping-flight platform using shape memory alloy muscles and joints , 2012 .

[27]  Hao Liu.  Aerodynamics of a Bio-inspired Flexible Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle , 2011 .

[28]  Taewoo Nam,et al.  Approved by: PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING VENDOR INFORMATION PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE ITEMS YOU WISH TO PURCHASE FROM THE VENDOR LISTED ABOVE. YOU MUST INCLUDE ANY APPLICABLE SHIPPING COST , 2007 .

[29]  G. Spedding.  The Wake of a Kestrel (Falco Tinnunculus) in Flapping Flight , 1987 .

[30]  C. J. Pennycuick,et al.  Modelling the Flying Bird , 2008 .

[31]  Nathanael J. Sladek,et al.  Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle Wing Manufacture and Force Testing , 2012 .

[32]  Robert C. Michelson,et al.  Overview of Micro Air Vehicle System Design and Integration Issues , 2010 .

[33]  Mostafa Hassanalian,et al.  Design, manufacturing, and flight testing of a fixed wing micro air vehicle with Zimmerman planform , 2017 .

[34]  Sergey V Shkarayev,et al.  Introduction to the Design of Fixed-Wing Micro Air Vehicles: Including Three Case Studies , 2007 .

[35]  C. J. Pennycuick,et al.  Chapter 1 – MECHANICS OF FLIGHT , 1975 .

[36]  Adrian L. R. Thomas,et al.  Flying and swimming animals cruise at a Strouhal number tuned for high power efficiency , 2003, Nature.

[37]  Daewon Kim,et al.  Lift and Thrust Characteristics of Flapping Wing Aerial Vehicle with Pitching and Flapping Motion , 2014 .

[38]  J. Rayner,et al.  Ecological Morphology and Flight in Bats (Mammalia; Chiroptera): Wing Adaptations, Flight Performance, Foraging Strategy and Echolocation , 1987 .

[39]  J. Rayner.  A vortex theory of animal flight. Part 2. The forward flight of birds , 1979, Journal of Fluid Mechanics.

[40]  Koji Isogai,et al.  Optimum Aeroelastic Design of a Flapping Wing , 2007 .

[41]  A. Alexeev,et al.  Resonance of flexible flapping wings at low Reynolds number. , 2010, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[42]  A Hedenström,et al.  Field estimates of body drag coefficient on the basis of dives in passerine birds. , 2001, The Journal of experimental biology.