AERODYNAMICS OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL FLAPPING WING

Abstract

Experimental measurements and numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the aerodynamics of three-dimensional insect-like flapping wings. The main objective of the study is to provide insight and tools that will be useful for the development of next generation flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAV). The first part of the study focuses on the development of an improved semi-empirical quasi-steady aerodynamic model for flapping flight, which is a useful tool for future FWMAV design. Second, the study compares the aerodynamic performance between flapping wings with complex motion profiles against those with simplified motion profiles. This allows evaluation of whether FWMAV kinematics can be simplified without compromising performance. Third, the aerodynamic performance of an alternative wing motion, known as the “water treading” motion, is compared against the ubiquitous “normal hovering” motion.