Low Reynolds number aerodynamics is important to a number of natural and man-made flyers. Birds, bats, and insects have been of interest to biologists for years, and active study in the aerospace engineering community, motivated by interest in micro air vehicles (MAVs), has been increasing rapidly. The primary focus of this book is the aerodynamics associated with fixed and flapping wings. The book consider both biological flyers and MAVs, including a summary of the scaling laws-which relate the aerodynamics and flight characteristics to a flyer's sizing on the basis of simple geometric and dynamics analyses, structural flexibility, laminar-turbulent transition, airfoil shapes, and unsteady flapping wing aerodynamics. The interplay between flapping kinematics and key dimensionless parameters such as the Reynolds number, Strouhal number, and reduced frequency is highlighted. The various unsteady lift enhancement mechanisms are also addressed, including leading-edge vortex, rapid pitch-up and rotational circulation, wake capture, and clap-and-fling.

For anyone interested in the aerodynamics, structural dynamics and flight dynamics of small birds, bats, insects and air vehicles (MAVs).

This book reports the latest development and trends in the low Re number aerodynamics, transition from laminar to turbulence, unsteady low Reynolds number flows, experimental studies, numerical transition modelling, control of low Re number flows, and MAV wing aerodynamics. The contributors to each chapter are fluid mechanics and aerodynamics scientists and engineers with strong expertise in their respective fields. As a whole, the studies presented here reveal important new directions toward the realization of applications of MAV and wind turbine blades.

Current interest in a variety of low Reynolds number applications has focused attention on the design and evaluation of efficient airfoil sections at chord Reynolds numbers from about 100,000 to about 1,000,000. These applications include remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) at high altitudes, sailplanes, ultra-light man-carrying/man powered aircraft, mini-RPVs at low altitudes and wind turbines/propellers. The purpose of this conference was to bring together those researchers who have been active in areas closely related to this subject. All of the papers presented are research type papers. Main topics are: Airfoil Design and Analysis, Computational Studies, Stability and Transition, Laminar Separation Bubble, Steady and Unsteady Wind Tunnel Experiments and Flight Experiments.

This book presents selected papers presented in the Symposium on Applied Aerodynamics and Design of Aerospace Vehicles (SAROD 2018), which was jointly organized by Aeronautical Development Agency (the nodal agency for the design and development of combat aircraft in India), Gas-Turbine Research Establishment (responsible for design and development of gas turbine engines for military applications), and CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (involved in major aerospace programs in the country such as SARAS program, LCA, Space Launch Vehicles, Missiles and UAVs). It brings together experiences of aerodynamicists in India as well as abroad in Aerospace Vehicle Design, Gas Turbine Engines, Missiles and related areas. It is a useful volume for researchers, professionals and students interested in diversified areas of aerospace engineering.