Modeling of Flapping-Wing Rectifier Systems and Optimal Gait Analysis

Flapping-wing rectifier systems are defined as systems which produce bulk locomotion through the interaction of periodic wing movement with a surrounding environment. A nonlinear model is developed featuring a 6 degree-of-freedom main body (position and orientation) and wing deformation. Each wing may move independently and is described as the motion of many discrete points in the body-fixed coordinate frame. The nonlinear model is approximated with a bilinear model through Taylor series, which is then used in an optimal gait analysis. Various wing shapes and optimality criteria are considered, such as the thrust to deflection ratio and the overall actuation effort to generate a variety of gaits.