Computational Investigation of Flapping-Wing Propulsion for a Micro-Air Vehicle

Abstract

The low Reynolds number aerodynamics of the flapping-wing Micro-Air Vehicle (MAV) developed at NPS by Max Platzer and Kevin Jones was studied numerically. The dynamic mesh simulation model of the full multi-wing configuration, which consists of a fixed wing and a pair of aft position, opposed pitch/plunge flapping wings was developed using an advanced CFD code that is available commercially. The unsteady Navier-Stokes flow fields, wake structures and forces variations were determined and compared with reference to past experimental observations. The results were encouraging and provided impetus for future computational optimization studies on the NPS flapping wing MAV.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA462653

Entities

People

  • Seng C. Lim

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeroelasticity
  • Aircrafts
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Flow
  • Flow Fields
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Flow
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Micro Air Vehicles
  • Physical Theories
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Reynolds Number
  • Simulations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerial Unmanned Vehicle Swarm Micro Periodontal Dentistry.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.