Analysis and testing of a flyable micro flapping-wing rotor with a highly efficient elastic mechanism

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dc.contributor.authorPan, Yingjun
dc.contributor.authorSu, Huijuan
dc.contributor.authorGuo, Shijun
dc.contributor.authorChen, Si
dc.contributor.authorHuang, Xun
dc.date.accessioned2024-12-20T14:18:29Z
dc.date.available2024-12-20T14:18:29Z
dc.date.freetoread2024-12-20
dc.date.issued2024-12-03
dc.date.pubOnline2024-12-03
dc.description.abstractA Flapping-Wing Rotor (FWR) is a novel bio-inspired micro aerial vehicle configuration, featuring unique wing motions which combine active flapping and passive rotation for high lift production. Power efficiency in flight has recently emerged as a critical factor in FWR development. The current study investigates an elastic flapping mechanism to improve FWRs’ power efficiency by incorporating springs into the system. The elastic force counteracts the system inertia to accelerate or decelerate the wing motion, reducing the power demand and increasing efficiency. A dynamic model was developed to simulate the unique kinematics of the FWR’s wing motions and its elastic mechanism, considering the coupling of aerodynamic and inertial forces generated by the wings, along with the elastic and driven forces from the mechanism. The effects of the spring stiffness on the aerodynamic performance and power efficiency were investigated. The model was then verified through experimental testing. When a spring stiffness close to the mechanical system resonance was applied, the power efficiency of the test model increased by 16% compared to the baseline model without springs, generating an equivalent average lift. With an optimal elastic flapping mechanism for greater lift and lower power consumption, the FWR was fully constructed with onboard power and a control receiver weighing 27.79 g, successfully achieving vertical take-off flight. The current model produces ten times greater lift and has nearly double the wing area of the first 2.6 g flyable FWR prototype.
dc.description.journalNameBiomimetics
dc.identifier.citationPan Y, Su H, Guo S, et al., (2024) Analysis and testing of a flyable micro flapping-wing rotor with a highly efficient elastic mechanism. Biomimetics, Volume 9, Issue 12, December 2024, Article number 737
dc.identifier.eissn2313-7673
dc.identifier.elementsID559685
dc.identifier.issn2313-7673
dc.identifier.issueNo12
dc.identifier.paperNo737
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9120737
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/23309
dc.identifier.volumeNo9
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/9/12/737
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject40 Engineering
dc.subject4001 Aerospace Engineering
dc.subject7 Affordable and Clean Energy
dc.subjectflapping-wing microrotor
dc.subjectelastic mechanism
dc.subjectaerodynamics
dc.subjectdynamic analysis
dc.subjectpower efficiency
dc.titleAnalysis and testing of a flyable micro flapping-wing rotor with a highly efficient elastic mechanism
dc.typeArticle
dc.type.subtypeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2024-11-29

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