A Numerical Exploration of Parameter Dependence in Power Optimal Flapping Flight

A computational framework for analyzing and designing efficient flapping flight vehicles is presented. Two computational tools are considered: a Betz Criterion code proposed by Hall et. al., and an accelerated, unsteady, potential flow solver. The parameters considered in this paper are: the flapping frequency, the flapping amplitude in both up-down and forward-aft directions, and the addition of a mid-wing hinge for articulated flapping flight. The flapping kinematics are represented using harmonics. Three numerical experiments are examined for the flapping flight analysis. The first experiment involves sweeping through a basic flapping flight parametric design space. The second experiment minimizes flight power at a given flight condition using a quasi-Newton optimization. The third experiment demonstrates the conversion of the problem from a wake only analysis to a 3-D flapping wing geometry.