Dynamic Modeling and Aerodynamic Characteristics Analysis of Flapping-Wing Aerial Vehicles

Inspired by flying creatures in nature, flapping-wing aerial vehicles (FWAV s) are developed to improve the flight efficiency and the concealment. During the flight, FWAV s obtain the required lift and thrust force by the active movement of the wings. Depends on this way of flying, FWAVs have great advantages in weight reduction and aerodynamic performance improvements. Therefore, in order to have a better performance in flight, the dynamic analysis of FWAVs is carried out in this paper. Firstly, the static characteristics and the dynamic characteristics of the airfoil adopted by the FWAV are analyzed. Based on the blade element theory, the dynamic model of FWAVs is obtained. Then, the numerical simulations show the effects of different flight speeds and flapping frequencies on the aerodynamics of FWAV s. This is of great significance for the stable flight and the autonomous control of FWAVs.