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Article
Publication date: 26 July 2013

Hoon Cheol Park, Eko Priamadi and Quang‐Tri Truong

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of wing kinematics change on force generation produced by flapping wings.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of wing kinematics change on force generation produced by flapping wings.

Design/methodology/approach

Forces produced by flapping wings are measured using a load cell and compared for the investigation. The measured forces are validated by estimation using an unsteady blade element theory.

Findings

From the measurement and estimation, the authors found that flapping wings produced positive and negative lifts when the wings are attached with the +30° and −30°, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The authors quantified the characteristics of change in the force generation by flapping wings for three wing kinematics. The wing kinematics was modified by changing the initial wing attachment angle.

Practical implications

The result may be applicable to design of control mechanism for an insect‐mimicking flapping‐wing micro air vehicle, which has only wings without control surfaces at its tail.

Social implications

The preliminary work may provide an insight for design strategy of flapping‐wing micro air vehicles with compact and handy configurations, because they may perform controlled flight even without control surfaces at their tails.

Originality/value

The work included here is the first attempt to quantify the force generation characteristics for different wing kinematics. The suggested way of wing kinematics change can provide a concept for control mechanism of a flapping‐wing micro air vehicle.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Unmanned Systems, vol. 1 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-6427

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 February 2015

Hoang Vu Phan, Quang-Tri Truong and Hoon-Cheol Park

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the uncontrolled vertical takeoff of an insect-mimicking flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FW-MAV) of 12.5 cm wing span with a body…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the uncontrolled vertical takeoff of an insect-mimicking flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FW-MAV) of 12.5 cm wing span with a body weight of 7.36 g after installing batteries and power control.

Design/methodology/approach

The forces were measured using a load cell and estimated by the unsteady blade element theory (UBET), which is based on full three-dimensional wing kinematics. In addition, the mean aerodynamic force center (AC) was determined based on the UBET calculations using the measured wing kinematics.

Findings

The wing flapping frequency can reach to 43 Hz at the flapping angle of 150°. By flapping wings at a frequency of 34 Hz, the FW-MAV can produce enough thrust to over its own weight. For this condition, the difference between the estimated and average measured vertical forces was about 7.3 percent with respect to the estimated force. All parts for the FW-MAV were integrated such that the distance between the mean AC and the center of gravity is close to zero. In this manner, pitching moment generation was prevented to facilitate stable vertical takeoff. An uncontrolled takeoff test successfully demonstrated that the FW-MAV possesses initial pitching stability for takeoff.

Originality/value

This work has successfully demonstrated an insect-mimicking flapping-wing MAV that can stably takeoff with initial stability.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Unmanned Systems, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-6427

Keywords

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