Design and experimental study of a new flapping wing rotor micro aerial vehicle

A three-wing Flapping Wing Rotor Micro Aerial Vehicle (FWR-MAV) which can perform controlled flight is introduced and an experimental study on this vehicle is presented. A mechanically driven flapping rotary mechanism is designed to drive the three flapping wings and generate lift, and control mechanisms are designed to control the pose of the FWR-MAV. A flight control board for attitude control with robust onboard attitude estimation and a control algorithm is also developed to perform stable hovering flight and forward flight. A series of flight tests was conducted, with hovering flight and forward flight tests performed to optimize the control parameters and assess the performance of the FWR-MAV. The hovering flight test shows the ability of the FWR-MAV to counteract the moment generated by rotary motion and maintain the attitude of the FWR-MAV in space; the experiment of forward flight shows that the FWR-MAV can track the desired attitude.     

基于PD控制的仿昆虫扑翼样机研制

仿昆虫微型扑翼飞行器（FW-MAN）可以模仿昆虫悬停、垂直起飞以及侧飞等飞行姿态,从而适应复杂多障碍环境,具有广阔的应用前景。成功设计研制了一款重23.8 g,翼展18 cm,扑动幅值180°,扑动频率可达22 Hz的可垂直起飞的仿昆虫微型扑翼飞行器。采用曲柄摇杆与滑轮的组合机构作为样机扑动机构以解决原有样机扑动方案存在高摩擦及结构复杂等问题,样机翅翼设计为具有扭转角度的柔性翅翼从而使样机具有更高的气动效率。考虑到现有的姿态调节机制存在增加机构复杂度问题,基于翅翼扭转的姿态调节机制,设计了相应的控制调节机构,并搭建了样机气动力测量平台和姿态调节平台。气动升力与姿态力矩测量结果表明,样机翅翼可提供足够升力,姿态调节机制具有可行性。在此基础上,选取PD （Proportional Differential）控制律作为样机控制方式,为解决参数调定耗时及直接试飞样机不易观察控制效果问题,基于姿态调节平台获取了初始控制参数,然后对样机进行了多次试飞实验,并多次调定参数,最终实现了样机稳定垂直起飞。     

Unsteady aerodynamics and flow control for flapping wing flyers

The creation of micro air vehicles (MAVs) of the same general sizes and weight as natural fliers has spawned renewed interest in flapping wing flight. With a wingspan of approximately 15 cm and a flight speed of a few meters per second, MAVs experience the same low Reynolds number (10⁴–10⁵) flight conditions as their biological counterparts. In this flow regime, rigid fixed wings drop dramatically in aerodynamic performance while flexible flapping wings gain efficacy and are the preferred propulsion method for small natural fliers. Researchers have long realized that steady-state aerodynamics does not properly capture the physical phenomena or forces present in flapping flight at this scale. Hence, unsteady flow mechanisms must dominate this regime. Furthermore, due to the low flight speeds, any disturbance such as gusts or wind will dramatically change the aerodynamic conditions around the MAV. In response, a suitable feedback control system and actuation technology must be developed so that the wing can maintain its aerodynamic efficiency in this extremely dynamic situation; one where the unsteady separated flow field and wing structure are tightly coupled and interact nonlinearly. For instance, birds and bats control their flexible wings with muscle tissue to successfully deal with rapid changes in the flow environment. Drawing from their example, perhaps MAVs can use lightweight actuators in conjunction with adaptive feedback control to shape the wing and achieve active flow control. This article first reviews the scaling laws and unsteady flow regime constraining both biological and man-made fliers. Then a summary of vortex dominated unsteady aerodynamics follows. Next, aeroelastic coupling and its effect on lift and thrust are discussed. Afterwards, flow control strategies found in nature and devised by man to deal with separated flows are examined. Recent work is also presented in using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators and angular speed variation to achieve active flow control for MAVs. Finally, an explanation for aerodynamic gains seen in flexible versus rigid membrane wings, derived from an unsteady three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model with an integrated distributed control algorithm, is presented.     

Modeling and flapping vibration suppression of a novel tailless flapping wing micro air vehicle

This paper establishes and analyzes a high-fidelity nonlinear time-periodic dynamic model and the corresponding state observer for flapping vibration suppression of a novel tailless Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle(FWMAV), named NPU-Tinybird. Firstly, a complete modeling of NPU-Tinybird is determined, including the aerodynamic model based on the quasi-steady method, the kinematic and dynamic model about the mechanism of flapping and attitude control,combined with the single rigid body dynamic mod...     

A review of bird-like flapping wing with high aspect ratio

Bird-like flapping-wing vehicles with a high aspect ratio have the potential to fulfill missions given to micro air vehicles, such as high-altitude reconnaissance, surveillance, rescue, and bird group guidance, due to their good loading and long endurance capacities. Biologists and aeronautical researchers have explored the mystery of avian flight and made efforts to reproduce flapping flight in bioinspired aircraft for decades. However, the cognitive depth from theory to practice is still very limited. The mechanism of generating sufficient lift and thrust during avian flight is still not fully understood. Moving wings with unique biological structures such as feathers make modeling, simulation, experimentation, and analysis much more difficult. This paper reviews the research progress on bird-like flapping wings from flight mechanisms to modeling. Commonly used numerical computing methods are briefly compared. The aeroelastic problems are also highlighted. The results of the investigation show that a leading-edge vortex can be found during avian flight. Its induction and maintenance may have a close relationship with wing configuration, kinematics and deformation. The present models of flapping wings are mainly two-dimensional airfoils or three-dimensional single root-jointed geometric plates, which still exhibit large differences from real bird wings. Aeroelasticity is encouraged to consider the nonignorable effect on aerodynamic performance due to large-scale nonlinear deformation. Introducing appropriate flexibility can improve the peak values and efficiencies of lift and thrust, but the detailed conclusions always have strong background dependence.     

一种仿蜜蜂类昆虫扑翼悬停控制的仿真估算研究

基于准稳态气动力模型,推导了仿蜜蜂类昆虫扑翼气动力和力矩估算公式,建立了扑翼运动函数.将仿蜜蜂类昆虫扑翼视为空间运动刚体,在其动力学方程基础上,采用分层控制策略研究悬停控制问题.外层为位置控制,X和Y位置应用PD控制算法,Z位置应用切换控制方法;内层姿态控制采用切换控制方法,并选择了一套机翼运动参数用于切换控制.最后进行了仿蜜蜂类昆虫扑翼悬停控制仿真试验,试验结果表明所设计的控制策略是有效的,一旦昆虫扑翼受到干扰偏离平衡位置后,通过自动调节能够回到平衡位置附近.      

Review on ultra-lightweight flapping-wing nano air vehicles:Artificial muscles,flight control mechanism,and biomimetic wings

Flying insects are capable of flapping their wings to provide the required power and control forces for flight. A coordinated organizational system including muscles, wings, and control architecture plays a significant role, which provides the sources of inspiration for designing flapping-wing vehicles. In recent years, due to the development of micro-and meso-scale manufacturing technologies, advances in components technologies have directly led to a progress of smaller Flapping-Wing Nano Air V...     

多段柔性变体扑翼飞行器设计

多段柔性变体扑翼模仿海鸥翅膀的复杂运动.观察海鸥翅膀的运动周期,设计了包含慢频率扑动、展向折弯、弦向扭转和结构柔性变形的扑翼模型,并应用准定常方法计算气动力,为该扑翼飞行器设计提供依据.在CATIA和3DMAX中设计多段柔性变体扑翼机的三维模型和运动模拟,制作样机进行飞行试验,研究其平飞、爬升、偏航等飞行姿态,结果表明升力和推力与数值计算结果吻合.相较于原有扑翼飞行器,多段柔性变体扑翼飞行器可以慢频率扑动飞行,调整扑翼形状.      

主动变形扑翼飞行器的设计和风洞测力试验研究

主动变形扑翼可以模仿鸟翼飞行时的复杂运动。为了了解主动变形扑翼飞行器的气动特性,在研究鸟类骨骼结构和翅膀及尾翼运动规律的基础上,设计并制造了一种基于机器人技术的主动变形扑翼飞行器;给出了主动变形扑翼飞行器的机构运动规律函数,并设计出机构运动控制系统;在低速风洞中对此飞行器进行了一系列测力试验,研究了主动变形扑翼的升力、推力特性,以及风速、扑动频率、扑动幅度、伸展相位等参数对升力和推力的影响,并与常规扑翼进行了对比分析。试验结果表明,较之常规扑翼,主动变形扑翼可以显著增加升力和增强对不同飞行状态的适应能力。     

可差动扭转扑翼飞行器的设计和风洞试验研究

常规的仿鸟扑翼飞行器在飞行时机翼只是单纯地上下扑动。为提高扑翼飞行器横航向和航迹控制的品质,设计了一种机翼在扑动的同时可差动扭转的仿鸟扑翼飞行器;在低速风洞中对其进行了一系列测力试验,研究了可差动扭转扑翼飞行器的升力、推力特性,以及机翼差动扭转角、扑动频率、风速、机翼柔性对滚转力矩系数的影响;对设计的扑翼飞行器做了飞行试验,验证了设计的可行性,并与常规扑翼飞行器作了对比,试验结果表明：可差动扭转扑翼可以用于扑翼飞行器的横向控制,并且可以提高其抗风能力和航迹控制精度。     

扑翼飞行器动力系统建模方法

为快速评估扑翼飞行器的航时,便于针对不同扑动翼进行动力系统设计与优化,逐步减少实物验证与试飞,加快扑翼飞行器的研制,基于实验数据参数辨识的方法建立了包含直流无刷电机、电调（ESC）、锂电池和扑动机构等扑翼飞行器动力系统组件的动态模型,其中电机模型相对误差小于10%,锂电池动态模型相对误差小于6%;提出了一种基于风洞试验气动数据和功率数据的扑动轴瞬时气动载荷半经验高精度建模方法,解决了气动载荷测量较为困难的问题,模型确定系数大于0.89;集成以上模型后的扑翼飞行器仿真系统还包含扑动翼周期平均气动模型、平尾气动模型和纵向控制模型,确保仿真在动态配平状态下进行,可进行全任务剖面航时仿真,航时仿真与实际试飞结果相比误差小于3%。集成的扑翼飞行器仿真系统采用模块化建模思想,各模型参数独立可调,能进一步应用于扑翼飞行器多学科优化等研究。     

Flapping and flexible wings for biological and micro air vehicles

Micro air vehicles (MAVs) with wing spans of 15 cm or less, and flight speed of 30–60 kph are of interest for military and civilian applications. There are two prominent features of MAV flight: (i) low Reynolds number (10⁴–10⁵), resulting in unfavorable aerodynamic conditions to support controlled flight, and (ii) small physical dimensions, resulting in certain favorable scaling characteristics including structural strength, reduced stall speed, and low inertia. Based on observations of biological flight vehicles, it appears that wing motion and flexible airfoils are two key attributes for flight at low Reynolds number. The small size of MAVs corresponds in nature to small birds, which do not glide like large birds, but instead flap with considerable change of wing shape during a single flapping cycle. With flapping and flexible wings, birds overcome the deteriorating aerodynamic performance under steady flow conditions by employing unsteady mechanisms. In this article, we review both biological and aeronautical literatures to present salient features relevant to MAVs. We first summarize scaling laws of biological and micro air vehicles involving wing span, wing loading, vehicle mass, cruising speed, flapping frequency, and power. Next we discuss kinematics of flapping wings and aerodynamic models for analyzing lift, drag and power. Then we present issues related to low Reynolds number flows and airfoil shape selection. Recent work on flexible structures capable of adjusting the airfoil shape in response to freestream variations is also discussed.     

扑翼的变刚度设计及其对升力和推力的影响

为提高扑翼飞行器的升力和推力以提高其飞行性能,运用生物扑翼的仿生原理,研究扑翼飞行器的扑翼升力和扑翼推力随扑翼刚度变化的机理。借鉴"变刚度关节机构和平面转动冗余并联机构通过调节张力改变刚度"这一机构学原理,运用变刚度关节机构相互串联实现扑翼在扑动方向上变刚度,同时运用平面转动冗余并联机构实现扑翼在扭转方向上变刚度。建立扑翼的扑动关节刚度和扭转机构刚度随预张力变化的模型,并通过实验和仿真验证扑翼扑动关节刚度和扭转机构刚度随预张力的变化。研究扑翼的升力和推力与扑翼刚度之间的关系,验证了通过调节扑翼刚度匹配其扑动频率可以提高扑翼的升力和推力。     

微型扑翼的推进特性实验研究

为了研究微型扑翼的推力和推进效率特性,研制了基于虚拟仪器（VI）的微型扑翼风洞实验系统。该系统以西北工业大学现有微型风洞为基础,采用了高精度六分量天平、角度传感器、新型机翼扑动机构、可编程电源、工控机等设备,利用基于虚拟仪器（VI）的LabView软件对上述设备进行集中控制与数据处理。利用上述实验系统研究了风速、扑动频率、展弦比、根稍比及机翼扑动幅度对微型扑翼推力和推进效率的影响,总结出了微型扑翼推力及推进效率的基本规律,为微型扑翼飞行器机翼设计及飞行控制方式提供了参考。     

扑翼升力特性的非定常涡格法计算研究

针对西北工业大学航空学院微型飞行器研究室研制的PY-1型扑翼机,建立了扑翼的运动模型,并采用非定常涡格法模拟了该扑翼的升力特性,分析了迎角、飞行速度对升力特性的影响。计算结果与实际飞行试验吻合,验证了非定常涡格法模拟扑翼非定常气动特性的正确性和有效性。研究结果可为扑翼机的气动设计提供参考。     

Recent progress in flapping wing aerodynamics and aeroelasticity

Micro air vehicles (MAVs) have the potential to revolutionize our sensing and information gathering capabilities in areas such as environmental monitoring and homeland security. Flapping wings with suitable wing kinematics, wing shapes, and flexible structures can enhance lift as well as thrust by exploiting large-scale vortical flow structures under various conditions. However, the scaling invariance of both fluid dynamics and structural dynamics as the size changes is fundamentally difficult. The focus of this review is to assess the recent progress in flapping wing aerodynamics and aeroelasticity. It is realized that a variation of the Reynolds number (wing sizing, flapping frequency, etc.) leads to a change in the leading edge vortex (LEV) and spanwise flow structures, which impacts the aerodynamic force generation. While in classical stationary wing theory, the tip vortices (TiVs) are seen as wasted energy, in flapping flight, they can interact with the LEV to enhance lift without increasing the power requirements. Surrogate modeling techniques can assess the aerodynamic outcomes between two- and three-dimensional wing. The combined effect of the TiVs, the LEV, and jet can improve the aerodynamics of a flapping wing. Regarding aeroelasticity, chordwise flexibility in the forward flight can substantially adjust the projected area normal to the flight trajectory via shape deformation, hence redistributing thrust and lift. Spanwise flexibility in the forward flight creates shape deformation from the wing root to the wing tip resulting in varied phase shift and effective angle of attack distribution along the wing span. Numerous open issues in flapping wing aerodynamics are highlighted.     

微型扑翼飞行器的气动建模分析与试验

用计算流体力学的数值模拟方法研究了微扑翼飞行器的扑翼飞行的非定常空气动力学问题。在对昆虫扑翼飞行运动的仿生模拟基础上 ,对实际可飞的微扑翼飞行器的扑翼运动建立了三维翼型的运动学与空气动力学模型。利用任意拉格朗日欧拉 ( ALE)有限元方法求解出 N-S方程的数值解 ,证明简单扑翼布局所提供的升力足以克服微扑翼飞行器本身的重力使其飞行。在此基础上 ,分别计算并分析了拍动幅值、俯仰幅度以及扑翼频率等各种扑翼参数对升力的影响。最后 ,探索性的扑翼风洞试验与飞行试验结果在一定程度上验证了文中计算方法的可行性      

Nonlinear dynamics of a flapping rotary wing: Modeling and optimal wing kinematic analysis

The analysis of the passive rotation feature of a micro Flapping Rotary Wing(FRW)applicable for Micro Air Vehicle(MAV) design is presented in this paper. The dynamics of the wing and its influence on aerodynamic performance of FRW is studied at low Reynolds number(~10~3).The FRW is modeled as a simplified system of three rigid bodies: a rotary base with two flapping wings. The multibody dynamic theory is employed to derive the motion equations for FRW. A quasi-steady aerodynamic model is utilized for the calculation of the aerodynamic forces and moments. The dynamic motion process and the effects of the kinematics of wings on the dynamic rotational equilibrium of FWR and the aerodynamic performances are studied. The results show that the passive rotation motion of the wings is a continuous dynamic process which converges into an equilibrium rotary velocity due to the interaction between aerodynamic thrust, drag force and wing inertia. This causes a unique dynamic time-lag phenomena of lift generation for FRW, unlike the normal flapping wing flight vehicle driven by its own motor to actively rotate its wings. The analysis also shows that in order to acquire a high positive lift generation with high power efficiency and small dynamic time-lag, a relative high mid-up stroke angle within 7–15° and low mid-down stroke angle within -40° to -35° are necessary. The results provide a quantified guidance for design option of FRW together with the optimal kinematics of motion according to flight performance requirement.     

用于高增益飞控系统设计的直升机纵向模型

在小扰动假设的条件下，研究了含有直升机旋翼挥舞动力学的纵向运动模型的建立方法，指出了准静态纵向运动方程的裨及限制，通过对实例的计算研究发现，机体对挥舞的影响可以忽略，模型可简化为机体和挥舞模型的串联。最后，在同一控制律作用下对运动稳定性进行了计算，结果表明含有挥舞动力学的纵向运动模型才能适用于高增益飞行控制系统的设计。     

Aerodynamic modelling of insect-like flapping flight for micro air vehicles

Insect-like flapping flight offers a power-efficient and highly manoeuvrable basis for a micro air vehicle capable of indoor flight. The development of such a vehicle requires a careful wing aerodynamic design. This is particularly true since the flapping wings will be responsible for lift, propulsion and manoeuvres, all at the same time. It sets the requirement for an aerodynamic tool that will enable study of the parametric design space and converge on one (or more) preferred configurations. In this respect, aerodynamic modelling approaches are the most attractive, principally due to their ability to iterate rapidly through various design configurations. In this article, we review the main approaches found in the literature, categorising them into steady-state, quasi-steady, semi-empirical and fully unsteady methods. The unsteady aerodynamic model of Ansari et al. seems to be the most satisfactory to date and is considered in some detail. Finally, avenues for further research in this field are suggested.