Influence of wing morphological and inertial parameters on flapping flight performance

Here we experimentally quantify the effects of wing morphological and inertial parameters on flapping flight performance. Through running at-scale, passive pitching experiments with different wing designs, we compare the relative importance of wing inertia, wing shape, and wing-actuation pairing. We find wing inertia strongly influences the coupling between stroke and pitch dynamics, which directly impacts lift production and efficiency. Flapping resonance frequency is reduced as wing aspect ratio or area moment increases. Further, wing leading edge design strongly influences chordwise center of pressure, which further impacts pitching dynamics. Based on our experimental results we propose a new wing design and measure 37% increase in mean lift relative to a previous work [1].