We present a process of evolving flapping flight control patterns for an ornithopter. We focus both on generating the flapping motion pattern as well as a realistic kinematic mechanism that can generate this motion in practice. The ultimate goal of the project is to translate the simulated models and behavior into a realized physical model capable of independent untethered flight.

The fluid dynamics of many swimming and flying animals involves the generation and shedding of vortices into the wake. Here we studied the dynamics of similar vortices shed by a simple two-dimensional flapping foil in a soap-film tunnel. The flapping foil models an animal wing, fin or tail in forward locomotion. The vortical flow induced by the foil is correlated to (the resulting) thickness va...

2006). Flapping wing MAVs (FWMAVs) are a class of new conceptual MAVs that take design cues from flying insects in order to achieve a small size (<3–5 cm), high maneuverability and super remote ability (Yan et al. 2015). A FWMAV is expected to work in a variety of confined spaces such as urban canyons, caves, indoors, and jungles that large flying robots can’t be serviceable. To achieve such ta...

The line widths of the clapping (spin) modes due to pair-breaking are found to be much smaller than those of the flapping (orbital) modes. A magnetic field causes a splitting of the frequencies of all these modes. The orbital modes have an appreciable effect on the line widths and line shifts of the NMR at very low T and at T very close to T . The ultrasound attenuation is enhanced appreciably ...

A practical flapping wing micro air vehicle should have ability to withstand stochastic deviations of flight velocities. To design a flapping airfoil with this ability, it is necessary to evaluate the impacts of velocity deviations on the flapping performances numerically or analytically. In this paper, the responses of the time-averaged thrust coefficient and the propulsive efficiency with res...

Force measurements from experiments conducted in water on a flapping-and-pitching thin flat plate wing of semi-elliptic planform at low Reynolds numbers are reported. Time varying force data, measured using a force transducer, provide a means to understand the mechanisms that lead to enhanced performance observed in insect flight compared to fixed wing aerodynamics. Experimental uncertainties a...

Bionic micro-air vehicles (MAV) having the maneuverability of dragonflies would be capable of fast forward flight, hovering and even backward flight. In order to achieve desirable designs for high performing MAVs, it is essential to understand the aerodynamics and structures of the insect wings and more importantly, the interactions between the operating flows and flexible structural wings. Her...

Flying insects are able to navigate complex and highly dynamic environments, can rapidly change their flight speeds and directions, are robust to environmental disturbances, and are capable of long migratory flights. However, flying robots at similar scales have not yet demonstrated these characteristics autonomously. Recent advances in mesoscale manufacturing, novel actuation, control, and cus...