Research‎ > ‎

Numerical Study of Flapping Wings


Objectives
  • Understand nonlinear coupling and physics of the unsteady aerodynamics, structural dynamics and flight dynamics associated with biological flight of insects, birds, and bats
  • Manipulate the multi-disciplinary physical phenomena to meet desired performance characteristics, e.g. lift, thrust, and power
  • Apply knowledge of the relevant fluid physics and structural dynamics to Micro-Air Vehicle design
Approaches

Researchers
Highlights


Achievements
  • Importance of kinematics on the resulting flow structures to enhance lift generation for flapping wing flight
  • Enhanced aerodynamic performance due to suitable wing deformations and its scaling relationships
  • Detailed comparisons and validations against experiments to assess numerical and experimental uncertainties
Future Work
  • Universal aeroelastic scaling: flying vs swimming
  • Benefits of anisotropic wing structures
  • Formulation of analytical models