Researchers (more info here)
• Dr. Chang-kwon Kang, Assistant Professor, MAE • Ph.D. Student: Major James E. Bluman, P.E.
Recent results presented at the AIAA Aviation conference in June 2016 (see below to download the paper)
Our results show that simultaneously studying the stability and power implications of different kinematics and design parameters is essential to ensure that both of these flight performance measures are considered in any design. In short, for best compromise between stability and power for a bumblebee-scale air vehicle, the following design inputs should be selected:
1. the wing pitch axis should be near the quarterchord
2. the wing rotation should take place in a small period of time near stroke reversal (approximately 20% of the stroke seems best)
3. the wing mass should not exceed 1% of the body mass.
Results presented at AIAA SciTech in January 2016 (see below to download the paper)
Effects of wing flexibility on Longitudinal response of a bumblebee scale flapping wing micro air vehicle
These figures show that the inclusion of wing flexibility in the analysis produces significantly different results. No other research group has considered chordwise flexibility in the assessment of the stability and dynamical response of the entire air vehicle.
The first figure is for hovering flight with no wing gusts or perturbations
(all parameters are representative of flight at the bumblebee scale, including wing flexibility).
Key References
1. Bluman, J., Sridhar, M., and Kang, C., "The Influence of Wing Flexibility on the Longitudinal Dynamics of a Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle in Hover," AIAA 2016-0470, 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, San Diego, California, January 4-8, 2016
2. Kang, C. and Shyy, W., Scaling law and enhancement of lift generation of an insect-size hovering flexible wing,” Journal of Royal Society Interface, Vol. 10 no. 85, 2013
3. Sridhar, M. K., and Kang, C., “Aerodynamic Performance of Two-Dimensional, Chordwise Flexible Flapping Wings at Fruit Fly Scale in Hover Flight,” Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, Vol. 10, Nr. 3, 2015, p. 036007.
4. Liu, H., Nakata, T., Gao, N., Maeda, M., Aono, H., and Shyy, W., “Micro Air Vehicle-Motivated Computational Biomechanics in Bio-Flights:
Aerodynamics, Flight Dynamics and Maneuvering Stability,” Acta Mechanica Sinica, Vol. 26, Nr. 6, 2010, pp. 863–879.
Aerodynamics, Flight Dynamics and Maneuvering Stability,” Acta Mechanica Sinica, Vol. 26, Nr. 6, 2010, pp. 863–879.
