Experimental optimization of flexible wing structures for enhanced aerodynamic performance in a bio-inspired flapping-wing MAV

This paper experimentally studies the aerodynamic benefits of optimizing the flexible spar structures in the flapping-wing designs for flapping-wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (FWMAV). Inspired by avian flight mechanics, a FWMAV is designed with a single-stage wing configuration, actuated by dual servos that flap at the independent frequency. The FWMAV is capable of adjusting its AOA during flight through the coordination with an additional tilt servo. Utilizing a wind wall to simulate specific incoming flow conditions, the research focuses on quantifying the lift generated by the FWMAV’s lightweight, flexible wings across a range of AOAs. These wings feature a semielliptical shape with curvature made of membrane material supported by a carbon fiber framework. The position and length parameters of the carbon fiber skeleton are parametrically modified to enable varying degrees of flexible deformation during flapping. Experimental results reveal that Experimental results reveal that flexible wings can achieve 3–4 times increase in lift by actively adjusting the angle of attack. Moreover, the synergistic optimization of the spar distribution patterns and camber curvature results in an additional 18.6% improvement in lift augmentation efficiency. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the wing configurations and installation angles to improve flight performance of flapping-wing FWMAVs, and pave the way for the development of more efficient and agile FWMAVs, with applications ranging from surveillance to environmental monitoring.