| Author: | Wahafu, Muheremu |
| Title: | Design and development of bio-inspired flapping wing mechanism |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2015 |
| Subject: | Micro air vehicles. Airplanes -- Wings. Wings (Anatomy) Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| Pages: | xii, 80 leaves : illustrations (some color) ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Design of flapping wing mechanism is an ever-challenging task. Particularly, flapping wing mechanisms for bird-sized flapping wing aircraft are sparse and far from comprehensively emulating the flight of birds'. In this thesis , several design concepts of flapping wing mechanism applicable for birded-sized flapping wing aircraft are proposed: 1) a concept that has hinged wings and provides active spanning accompanied by pitching of wing, 2) a concept that mimics cruising flight of large bird with plunging movement accompanied by twisting movement of wing, 3) a concept that has 3DOF spatial wing kinematics and resembles some complicated wing tip path observed among avian flight, 4) a concept that has large time ratio of downstroke to upstroke and imitates fling-clap mechanism, 5) a concept that is able to achieve wing movement of plunging, pitching and spanning with one actuator. One of the concepts was further developed with the aim of building an efficient flapping wing aircraft. A kinematic model of wing motion generated by the concept was established. The convergence of data from two approaches of simulation, Matlab simulation and CAD kinematic simulation, validated the kinematic model. Lengths of the links in crank-rocker mechanism, that primarily affect the kinematic outcome, were determined by an optimization process. Scaling laws and blade element theory were used to choose the flight parameters of a Bird-scale flapping wing aircraft. Finally, we built a prototype of the mechanism whose kinematics was designed adjustable for further modification and optimization of flight performance in future. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b28243894.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.09 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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