This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Design Guidelines for Flapping-Wing Micro UAVs
Technical Paper
2005-01-3197
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
The effect of various wing parameters on the performance of a micro air vehicle using insect-like flapping wings is studied. A nonlinear aerodynamic model that was developed for modelling the flow associated with such wings in the hover is used to make a parametric study. The effects of both wing kinematics and wing shape on a flapping wing is investigated by considering their influence on lift and lift-to-torque ratio. A default set of parameters is defined and wing performance is measured with respect to this benchmark case. It is found that lift is greater for larger stroke amplitudes and higher flapping frequencies, varying almost as the square in both cases. The effect of advanced wing rotation is generally to improve the lift performance but lift-to-torque ratio begins to diminish beyond a lead of about 5% of the flapping cycle. A number of wing shape parameters are also investigated and it is found that the effect of increasing aspect ratio is to improve lift performance but at the detriment of lift-to-torque ratio. Although increasing wing area also increases lift for the flapping wing, it further shows a general improvement in lift-to-torque ratio. Finally, a comparison of some synthetic wing planform shapes reveals that wing designs with substantial area outboard are more favourable due to their ability to extract larger forces from the higher outboard velocities. However, such wings come with the cost of higher wing-root bending moment.
Authors
Topic
Citation
Ansari, S., Knowles, K., and Żbikowski, R., "Design Guidelines for Flapping-Wing Micro UAVs," SAE Technical Paper 2005-01-3197, 2005, https://doi.org/10.4271/2005-01-3197.Also In
References
- Ansari, S. A. 2004 A Nonlinear, Unsteady, Aerodynamic Model for Insect-like Flapping Wings in the Hover with Micro Air Vehicle Applications . , Cranfield University
- Ansari, S. A. Knowles, K. Żbikowski, R. 2003 Aero- dynamic Modelling of Some Planforms for Insect-like Flapping Wings The Royal Aeronautical Society CEAS Aerodynamics and Aerospace Conference 38.1–38.14 London 10 12 June
- Ansari, S. A. Żbikowski, R. Knowles, K. 2005a A non- linear unsteady aerodynamic model for insect-like flapping wings in the hover: Part I. Methodology and analysis Under consideration for publication in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
- Ansari, S. A. Żbikowski, R. Knowles, K. 2005b A non- linear unsteady aerodynamic model for insect-like flapping wings in the hover: Part II. Implementation and validation Under consideration for publication in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
- Birch, J. M. Dickinson, M. H. 2001 Spanwise Flow and the Attachment of the Leading-Edge Vortex on Insect Wings Nature 412 6848 729 733
- Dickinson, M. H. 2003 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
- Dickinson, M. H. Götz, K. G. 1993 Unsteady Aerody- namic Performance of Model Wings at Low Reynolds Numbers Journal of Experimental Biology 174 45 64
- Dickinson, M. H. Lehmann, F.-O. Sane, S. P. 1999 Wing Rotation and the Aerodynamic Basis of Insect Flight Science 284 1954 1960
- Dudley, R. 1992 Biomechanics (Structures & Systems): A Practical Approach Oxford University Press
- Ellington, C. P. 1984 The Aerodynamics of Hovering Insect Flight: III. Kinematics Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B 305 41 78
- Ellington, C. P. van den Berg, C. Willmott, A. P. Thomas, A. L. R. 1996 Leading-edge vortices in insect flight Nature 384 626 630
- Ennos, A. R. 1989 The Kinematics and Aerodynamics of the Free Flight of Some Diptera Journal of Experimental Biology 142 49 85
- Liu, H. Ellington, C. P. Kawachi, K. van den Berg, C. Wilmott, A. P. 1998 A Computational Fluid Dynamic Study of Hawkmoth Hovering Journal of Experimental Biology 201 461 477
- Thomas, A. 2004 Zoology Department Oxford University
- Thomson, W. 1910 On Vortex Motion Mathematical and Physical Papers: Volume IV Hydrodynamics and General Dynamics Cambridge University Press Lord Kelvin a.k.a.
- van den Berg, C. Ellington, C. P. 1997 The Three-Dimensional Leading-Edge Vortex of a “Hovering” Model Hawkmoth Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B 352 1351 329 340
- Wagner, H. 1925 Über die Entstehung des Dynamischen Aufftriebes von Tragflügeln Zeitschrift für Angewandie Mathematik und Mechanik 5 1 17 35
- Żbikowski, R. 1999a Flapping Wing Autonomous Micro Air Vehicles: Research Programme Outline Fourteenth International Conference on Unmanned Air Vehicle Systems, volume Supplementary Papers 38.1 38.5
- Żbikowski, R. 1999b Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle: A Guided Platform for Microsensors Royal Aeronautical Society Conference on Nanotechnology and Micro-engineering for Future Guided Weapons 1.1 1.11
- Żbikowski, R. 2000 Flapping Wing Technology European Military Rotorcraft Symposium Shrivenham, UK 21–23 March 2000 1 7
- Żbikowski, R. 2002 On aerodynamic modelling of an insect-like flapping wing in hover for micro air vehicles Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series A 360 273 290
- Żbikowski, R. Pedersen, C. B. Ansari, S. A. Galiński, C. 2003 Flapping wing micro air vehicles. Lecture Series: Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics On Aircraft Including Applications Emerging UAV Technology von Kármán Institute Belgium