Flapping wing vehicles (FWVs) have unique flight characteristics and the successful flight of such a vehicle depends upon efficient design of the flapping mechanisms while keeping the minimum weight of the structure. Flapping Wing Vehicles: Numerical and Experimental Approach discusses design and kinematic analysis of various flapping wing mechanisms, measurement of flap angle/flapping frequency, and computational fluid dynamic analysis of motion characteristics including manufacturing techniques. The book also includes wind tunnel experiments, high-speed photographic analysis of aerodynamic performance, soap film visualization of 3D down washing, studies on the effect of wing rotation, figure-of-eight motion characteristics, and more. Features Covers all aspects of FWVs needed to design one and understand how and why it flies Explains related engineering practices including flapping mechanism design, kinematic analysis, materials, manufacturing, and aerodynamic performance measures using wind tunnel experiments Includes CFD analysis of 3D wing profile, formation flight of FWVs, and soap film visualization of flapping wings Discusses dynamics and image-based control of a group of ornithopters Explores indigenous PCB design for achieving altitude and attitude control This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in mechatronics, materials, aerodynamics, robotics, biomimetics, vehicle design and MAV/UAV.

Insect-scale flapping wing flight vehicles can conduct environmental monitoring, disaster assessment, mapping, positioning and security in complex and challenging surroundings. To develop bio-inspired flight vehicles, systematic probing based on the particular category of flight vehicles is needed. This Element addresses the aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, geometry, stability and dynamics of flexible flapping wings in the insect flight regime. The authors highlight distinct features and issues, contrast aerodynamic stability between rigid and flexible wings, present the implications of the wing-aspect ratio, and use canonical models and dragonflies to elucidate scientific insight as well as technical capabilities of bio-inspired design.

This is an ideal book for graduate students and researchers interested in the aerodynamics, structural dynamics and flight dynamics of small birds, bats and insects, as well as of micro air vehicles (MAVs), which present some of the richest problems intersecting science and engineering. The agility and spectacular flight performance of natural flyers, thanks to their flexible, deformable wing structures, as well as to outstanding wing, tail and body coordination, is particularly significant. To design and build MAVs with performance comparable to natural flyers, it is essential that natural flyers' combined flexible structural dynamics and aerodynamics are adequately understood. The primary focus of this book is to address the recent developments in flapping wing aerodynamics. This book extends the work presented in Aerodynamics of Low Reynolds Number Flyers (Shyy et al. 2008).

Small hand-held micro air vehicles (MAVs) can serve many functions unsuitable for a manned vehicle, and can be inexpensive and easily deployed. MAVs for indoor applications are underdeveloped due to their demanding requirements. Indoor requirements are best met by a flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FMAV) based on insect-like flapping-wing flight, which offers abilities of sustained hover, aerial agility, and energy efficiency. FMAV development is hampered by a lack of understanding of insect-like flapping-wing aerodynamics, particularly at the FMAV scale. An experimental programme at the FMAV scale (Reynolds number on the order of 104) was undertaken, investigating: leading-edge vortex (LEV) stability, flapping kinematic effects on lift and the flowfield, and wing planform shape effects on the flowfield. For these experiments, an apparatus employing a novel flapping mechanism was developed, which achieved variable three-degreeof- freedom insect-like wing motions (flapping kinematics) with a high degree of repeatability in air up to a 20Hz flapping frequency. Mean lift measurements and spatially dense volumetric flowfield measurements using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) were performed while various flapping kinematic parameters and wing planform were altered, to observe their effects. Three-dimensional vortex axis trajectories were reconstructed, revealing vortex characteristics such as axial velocity and vorticity, and flow evolution patterns. The first key result was the observation of a stable LEV at the FMAV scale which contributed to half of the mean lift. The LEV exhibited vortex breakdown, but still augmented lift as Reynolds number was increased indicating that FMAVs can exploit this lifting mechanism. The second key result was the identification of the trends of mean lift versus the tested kinematic parameters at the FMAV scale, and appropriate values for FMAV design. Appropriate values for lift generation, while taking mechanical practicalities into account, included a flat wingtip trajectory with zero plunge amplitude, angle of attack at mid-stroke of 45 degrees , rotation phase of +5:5%, and maximum flapping frequency and stroke amplitude.

This book introduces the topics most relevant to autonomously flying flapping wing robots: flapping-wing design, aerodynamics, and artificial intelligence. Readers can explore these topics in the context of the "Delfly", a flapping wing robot designed at Delft University in The Netherlands. How are tiny fruit flies able to lift their weight, avoid obstacles and predators, and find food or shelter? The first step in emulating this is the creation of a micro flapping wing robot that flies by itself. The challenges are considerable: the design and aerodynamics of flapping wings are still active areas of scientific research, whilst artificial intelligence is subject to extreme limitations deriving from the few sensors and minimal processing onboard. This book conveys the essential insights that lie behind success such as the DelFly Micro and the DelFly Explorer. The DelFly Micro, with its 3.07 grams and 10 cm wing span, is still the smallest flapping wing MAV in the world carrying a camera, whilst the DelFly Explorer is the world's first flapping wing MAV that is able to fly completely autonomously in unknown environments. The DelFly project started in 2005 and ever since has served as inspiration, not only to many scientific flapping wing studies, but also the design of flapping wing toys. The combination of introductions to relevant fields, practical insights and scientific experiments from the DelFly project make this book a must-read for all flapping wing enthusiasts, be they students, researchers, or engineers.