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Propulsion efficiency of flapping flight robots

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Flapping wing technologies have been successfully applied to robots either flying in the air or gliding through the water owing to the unique advantages of flapping flight under small Re conditions. Propulsion efficiency of flapping-twisting compound motion wings are analyzed in the present study. Actuator disc theory and undulating wave theory are utilized to model the wings' propulsion efficiency, and the present method is verified by a Lattice Boltzmann method(LBM) based code, on an 800mm wing-span virtual flapping wing model. Compared with conventional methods including unsteady method, vortex lattice method or numerical method, the present method is much simpler and relates basic design parameters of flapping wings directly to the efficiency output. In this way, the present method provides a macroscopic view towards propulsion mechanisms of flapping wings, and has the potential to greatly accelerates the process of flapping wing robots' first period design, which usually rely on experience or parameters adopted from flapping flight creatures.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2017 IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems, CIS 2017 and IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics, RAM 2017 - Proceedings
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages76-81
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9781538631355
DOIs
StatePublished - 2 Jul 2017
Event8th IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems, CIS 2017 and IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics, RAM 2017 - Ningbo, China
Duration: 19 Nov 201721 Nov 2017

Publication series

Name2017 IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems, CIS 2017 and IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics, RAM 2017 - Proceedings
Volume2018-January

Conference

Conference8th IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems, CIS 2017 and IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics, RAM 2017
Country/TerritoryChina
CityNingbo
Period19/11/1721/11/17

Keywords

  • efficiency
  • flapping
  • propulsion
  • robot

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