Ground Effect on Flapping Wing

The Effect of a Gust on the Flapping Wing Performance

The effect of a wind gust on the aerodynamic characteristics of a rigid wing undergoing insect-based flapping motion is studied numerically. The turbulent flow near the flapping wing is described by the 3-D unsteady compressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The governing equations are solved using a second-order node-centered finite volum...

Footprints of a flapping wing

Birds have to flap their wings to generate the needed thrust force, which powers them through the air. But how exactly do flapping wings create such force, and at what amplitude and frequency should they operate? These questions have been asked by many researchers. It turns out that much of the secret is hidden in the wake left behind the flapping wing. Exemplified by the study of Andersen et a...

Wing in Ground Effect Craft Review

It has long been recognised that flight close to a boundary surface is more aerodynamically efficient than flight in the freestream. This has led to the design and construction of craft specifically intended to operate close to the ground and fly 'in ground effect'. A great range of Wing in Ground effect craft (WIGs) have been manufactured ranging from 2 seat recreational vehicles to 500 tonne ...

UPDATE ON FLAPPING WING MICRO AIR VEHICLE RESEARCH Ongoing work to Develop a Flapping Wing, Crawling “Entomopter”

An electromechanical multimode (flying/crawling) insect is being developed by Robert Michelson and his design team at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. The project has received initial IRAD funding from the Georgia Institute of Technology. The mechanical insect, known as an “Entomopter” is based around a new development called a Reciprocating Chemical Muscle (RCM) which is capable of generat...

Aerodynamics of Gurney Flaps on a Wing in Ground Effect