Lift system optimization for hover-capable flapping wing micro air vehicle

Abstract

A key challenge is using bionic mechanisms to enhance aerodynamic performance of hover-capable flapping wing micro air vehicle (FWMAV). This paper presented a new lift system with high lift and aerodynamic efficiency, which use a hummingbird as a bionic object. This new lift system is able to effectively utilize the high lift mechanism of hummingbirds, and this study innovatively utilizes elastic energy storage elements and installs them at the wing root to help improve aerodynamic performance. A flapping angle of 154° is achieved through the optimization of the flapping mechanism parameters. An optimized wing shape and parameters are obtained through experimental studies on the wings. Consequently, the max net lift generated is 17.6% of the flapping wing vehicle’s weight. Moreover, energy is stored and released periodically during the flapping cycle, by imitating the musculoskeletal system at the wing roots of hummingbirds, thereby improving the energy utilization rate of the FWMAV and reducing power consumption by 4.5% under the same lift. Moreover, strength verification and modal analyses are conducted on the flapping mechanism, and the weight of the flapping mechanism is reduced through the analysis and testing of different materials. The results show that the lift system can generate a stable lift of 31.98 g with a wingspan of 175 mm, while the lift system weighs only 10.5 g, providing aerodynamic conditions suitable for high maneuverability flight of FWMAVs.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

lift optimization / flapping wing / elastic energy / hovering / flapping mechanism

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51975023 and 52322501).

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Higher Education Press