Three-Dimensional Wing Kinematics and Force Measurement of a Modified Beetle-Mimicking Flapping-Wing System

In this work, we modified the previous flapping-wing system such that the wing kinematics can be similar to that of a real beetle. Three-dimensional wing kinematics was measured by using two high-speed cameras. The capture images show that the modified flapping-wing can flap at a high frequency of 37 Hz with a large flapping angle of 167°. The wing rotation angle becomes variable from the wing root to wing tip during flapping just like in the beetle’s hind wings. We also measured the thrust by using the swing test method. The force measurement test proved that the modified flapping-wing system can generate a thrust of about 8.6 grams. Thus, the semi-active wing rotation mechanism is proven to be effective to produce a higher thrust.