Effects of Flapping Wing Kinematics on Hovering and Forward Flight Aerodynamics

摘要

Insects have unique flying capabilities: i.e., the ability to hover and turn abruptly in addition to the usual cruising flight. The amazing flying capabilities of insects are achieved through the control of wing kinematics. The wing kinematics of insects mainly consist of flapping and feathering motions. The flapping motion is a rotation of the wing around the body axis (upstoke and downstroke), and the feathering motion is a rotation around the span axis of the wing (pronation and supination). Azuma and Watanabe observed the wing kinematics of dragonflies in free flight [1]. Dudley and Ellington measured the wing kinematics of bumblebees [2,3]. Ellington measured those of various insects, such as flies and bees [4]. The time histories of the wing kinematics of insects are represented as very complicated waveforms.