A Study of Planar and Nonplanar Membrane Wing Planforms for the Design of a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle

摘要

Flapping wings may have potential for success in the realm of micro air vehicles (MAVs). The goal of this research was to investigate a variety of flapping wing planforms, including nonplanar effects, to create an optimum planform for an MAV design. Test stand and model prototype experiments were conducted to measure the lift and thrust generated by flapping wing planforms with a variety of nonplanar tips. Experimental results indicated that the effect of nonplanar wings is beneficial to steady thrust production but is detrimental to lift production in flapping wings. Wind tunnel testing of a 6-in span flapping-wing MAY prototype model designed herein indicated that the optimum wing configuration would be a polynomial planform with 20° tip anhedral or a high aspect ratio elliptical planform with 40° tip anhedral. Either wing configuration would provide adequate lift and climb performance. In terms of normalized lift, a planar high aspect ratio ellipse was most efficient, but flight testing will later determine whether the elliptical or polynomial planform will be chosen for the final MAV configuration.