Bio-Mimetic Millimeter-Scale Flapping Wings for Micro Air Vehicles

Abstract

In this report, we present designs of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) fabricated millimeter-scale flapping wings with some characterization of their structural properties and flapping performance. Wings of varied bio-mimetic design, including membrane and ribs-like structures, are flapped at resonance from lead zirconate titanate (PZT) bending actuators at their base. Laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) measurements and finite element (FE) analysis predictions of the flapping frequencies and mode shapes and the flapping amplitude of the devices demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating wing systems analogous to insects of the same size scale. We also document the design and progress in implementing a photogrammetric setup, which will be employed for kinematic characterization in this ongoing work.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA496241

Entities

People

  • Christopher Kroninger
  • Eric D. Wetzel
  • Jeffrey S. Pulskamp
  • Jessica Bronson
  • Ronald G. Polcawich

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Actuators
  • Aircrafts
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Chemical Vapor Deposition
  • Drosophila
  • Frequency
  • Laser Doppler Vibrometers
  • Lead Zirconate Titanates
  • Materials
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Micro Air Vehicles
  • Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Resonance
  • Resonant Frequency
  • Structural Properties
  • Thin Films
  • Three Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Structural Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems