Fixed and Flapping Wing Aerodynamics for Micro Air Vehicle Applications

by Mueller, Thomas J.; Mueller, Thomas J.; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

• ISBN13: 9781563475177
• ISBN10: 1563475170
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Amer Inst of Aeronautics &

Summary

Recently, there has been a serious effort to design aircraft that are as small as possible for special, limited-duration missions. These vehicles may carry visual, acoustic, chemical, or biological sensors for such missions as traffic management, hostage situation surveillance, rescue operations, etc. The goal is to develop aircraft systems that weigh less than 90 grams, with a 15-centimeter wingspan. Since it is not possible to meet all of the design requirements of a micro air vehicle with current technology, research is proceeding. This new book reports on the latest research in the area of aerodynamic efficiency of various fixed wing, flapping wing, and rotary wing concepts. It presents the progress made by over 50 active researchers in the field from Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States. It is the only book of its kind.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xv
An Overview of Micro Air Vehicle Aerodynamics	p. 1
Introduction	p. 2
Fixed Wing Vehicles	p. 4
Flapping Wing Vehicles	p. 6
Concluding Remarks	p. 8
References	p. 9
Fixed Wing Aerodynamics
Higher-Order Boundary Layer Formulation and Application to Low Reynolds Number Flows	p. 13
Introduction	p. 14
Curvilinear Coordinates and Equations	p. 15
Equivalent Inviscid Flow	p. 16
Entrainment Equation and Viscous/Inviscid Coupling	p. 17
Integral Momentum and Kinetic Energy Equations	p. 17
Turbulent Transport Equation	p. 18
Real Viscous Flow Profiles	p. 19
Profile Families	p. 21
Higher-Order Corrections	p. 22
High-Order Panel Method	p. 24
Viscous/Inviscid System Formulation	p. 29
Results	p. 30
Conclusions	p. 33
References	p. 33
Analysis and Design of Airfoils for Use at Ultra-Low Reynolds Numbers	p. 35
Introduction	p. 35
Computational Analysis Methods	p. 36
Flowfield Assumptions	p. 38
Grid Topology	p. 39
Comparison with Experiment	p. 40
Effects of Reynolds Number and Geometry Variations on Airfoil Performance	p. 41
Airfoil Optimization	p. 56
Conclusions	p. 59
References	p. 59
Adaptive, Unstructured Meshes for Solving the Navier-Stokes Equations for Low-Chord-Reynolds-Number Flows	p. 61
Introduction	p. 62
Approach	p. 63
The Finite Element Approximation	p. 66
Fluid Solver	p. 67
Grid Generation and Adaptive Refinement	p. 70
Results	p. 73
Database Validation	p. 76
Ongoing Work	p. 76
Conclusions	p. 79
Acknowledgment	p. 80
References	p. 80
Wind Tunnel Tests of Wings and Rings at Low Reynolds Numbers	p. 83
Introduction	p. 83
Effect of Aspect Ratio and Planform on the Aerodynamic Lift and Drag	p. 84
Effect of Low Reynolds Numbers on the Lift and Drag of Ring Airfoils	p. 86
References	p. 90
Effects of Acoustic Disturbances on Low Re Aerofoil Flows	p. 91
Introduction	p. 91
Experimental Arrangements	p. 94
Results	p. 98
Discussion	p. 106
Potential Use of Sound to Improve Performance	p. 110
Conclusions	p. 111
Acknowledgments	p. 112
References	p. 112
Aerodynamic Characteristics of Low Aspect Ratio Wings at Low Reynolds Numbers	p. 115
Introduction	p. 116
Apparatus	p. 117
Procedures	p. 119
Uncertainty	p. 120
Flow Visualization	p. 120
Discussion of Results	p. 121
Vortex-Lattice Method	p. 137
Conclusions	p. 139
Acknowledgments	p. 139
References	p. 140
Systematic Airfoil Design Studies at Low Reynolds Numbers	p. 143
Introduction	p. 143
Design Process	p. 144
Parametric Studies in Airfoil Design	p. 147
Summary and Conclusions	p. 164
Acknowledgments	p. 166
References	p. 166
Numerical Optimization and Wind-Tunnel Testing of Low Reynolds Number Airfoils	p. 169
Introduction	p. 170
Aerodynamic Model	p. 171
Experimental Setup	p. 172
Numerical Optimization of Low Reynolds Number Airfoils	p. 176
Experimental Investigations on Very Low Reynolds Number Airfoils	p. 182
Conclusion and Outlook	p. 188
References	p. 188
Unsteady Stalling Characteristics of Thin Airfoils at Low Reynolds Number	p. 191
Introduction	p. 191
Experimental Methods	p. 193
Results and Discussion	p. 196
Summary and Conclusions	p. 211
Acknowledgments	p. 212
References	p. 212
Flapping and Rotary Wing Aerodynamics
Thrust and Drag in Flying Birds: Applications to Birdlike Micro Air Vehicles	p. 217
Introduction	p. 217
Avian Flight Performance	p. 219
Thrust Generation	p. 222
Drag Reduction	p. 224
Wing Shape	p. 226
Conclusions	p. 227
Acknowledgments	p. 228
References	p. 228
Lift and Drag Characteristics of Rotary and Flapping Wings	p. 231
Introduction	p. 232
Aerodynamics of Hovering Insect Flight	p. 232
Propeller Experiments at High Re	p. 237
Results and Discussion	p. 241
Acknowledgments	p. 246
References	p. 246
A Rational Engineering Analysis of the Efficiency of Flapping Flight	p. 249
Introduction	p. 250
The Influence of Wake Roll Up on Flapping Flight	p. 253
Minimum Loss Flapping Theory	p. 258
Results	p. 264
Summary and Discussion	p. 271
Acknowledgments	p. 272
References	p. 272
Leading-Edge Vortices of Flapping and Rotary Wings at Low Reynolds Number	p. 275
Introduction	p. 276
Computational Modeling of a Rotary Wing	p. 277
Numerical Accuracy	p. 279
Results	p. 279
Conclusions	p. 284
Acknowledgment	p. 285
References	p. 285
On the Flowfield and Forces Generated by a Flapping Rectangular Wing at Low Reynolds Number	p. 287
Introduction	p. 287
Previous Work	p. 288
Scope of Present Work	p. 290
Experimental Setup	p. 290
Wing Motion	p. 291
Velocity Data Planes	p. 291
Velocity Field Data Analysis	p. 293
Force Measurements	p. 294
Results and Discussion	p. 295
Conclusions	p. 303
References	p. 303
Experimental and Computational Investigation of Flapping Wing Propulsion for Micro Air Vehicles	p. 307
Introduction	p. 308
General Kinematics	p. 308
Plunging Airfoils	p. 311
Pitching Airfoils	p. 318
Pitching and Plunging Airfoils	p. 320
Airfoil Combinations	p. 324
Summary and Prospective	p. 336
Acknowledgments	p. 336
References	p. 336
Aerodynamic Characteristics of Wings at Low Reynolds Number	p. 341
Introduction	p. 343
Unsteady Wing Theory	p. 343
Experimental Aerodynamics	p. 354
Geometrical Consideration of Blade Element Theory	p. 363
Forces and Moments Acting on Beating Wings	p. 374
Conclusion	p. 385
References	p. 391
A Nonlinear Aeroelastic Model for the Study of Flapping Wing Flight	p. 399
Introduction	p. 401
Structural Analysis	p. 405
Aerodynamic and Inertial Forces and Moments	p. 407
Damping	p. 415
Results and Discussion	p. 419
Conclusions	p. 427
References	p. 428
Euler Solutions for a Finite-Span Flapping Wing	p. 429
Introduction	p. 430
Numerical Method	p. 432
Investigations for Two-Dimensional Flow	p. 433
Investigations for Three-Dimensional Flow	p. 441
Conclusions	p. 449
Acknowledgments	p. 449
References	p. 449
From Soaring and Flapping Bird Flight to Innovative Wing and Propeller Constructions	p. 453
Introduction	p. 453
Bionic Airfoil Construction	p. 454
Bionic Propeller	p. 465
Conclusions	p. 469
Acknowledgments	p. 470
References	p. 470
Passive Aeroelastic Tailoring for Optimal Flapping Wings	p. 473
Introduction	p. 473
Experimental Setup	p. 475
Results	p. 477
Conclusions	p. 481
Acknowledgments	p. 482
References	p. 482
Shape Memory Alloy Actuators as Locomotor Muscles	p. 483
Introduction	p. 484
Brief Overview of SMA Actuators	p. 486
Thermomechanical Transformation Fatigue of SMA Actuators	p. 488
Adaptive Control of SMA Actuator Wires	p. 491
Energy Considerations for SMA Actuators	p. 494
SMA Actuators as Locomotor Muscles for a Biomimetic Hydrofoil	p. 496
Conclusions	p. 498
Acknowledgments	p. 498
References	p. 498
Micro Air Vehicle Applications
Mesoscale Flight and Miniature Rotorcraft Development	p. 503
Introduction	p. 503
Approach	p. 508
Testing	p. 515
Conclusions	p. 516
Acknowledgments	p. 516
References	p. 517
Development of the Black Widow Micro Air Vehicle	p. 519
Introduction	p. 519
Early Prototypes	p. 519
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization	p. 520
Energy Storage	p. 524
Motors	p. 525
Micropropeller Design	p. 526
Airframe Structural Design	p. 528
Avionics	p. 530
Video Camera Payload	p. 531
Stability and Control	p. 532
Performance	p. 532
Ground Control Unit	p. 533
Conclusions	p. 533
Acknowledgments	p. 535
References	p. 535
Computation of Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Micro Air Vehicle	p. 537
Introduction	p. 538
The Incompressible Flow Solver	p. 538
Description of the Micro Air Vehicle Model	p. 539
Discussion of Results	p. 540
Summary and Conclusions	p. 554
Acknowledgments	p. 554
References	p. 554
Optic Flow Sensors for MAV Navigation	p. 557
Introduction	p. 557
Optic Flow	p. 557
Description of the Optic Flow Sensor	p. 560
Use of Optic Flow for Navigation	p. 566
Initial In-Flight Experiments	p. 567
Next-Generation Sensors	p. 571
Conclusion	p. 573
Acknowledgments	p. 573
References	p. 573
Series Listing	p. 575
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