BUMBLE CRAFT IN AEROSPACE APPLICATION AND

EXPLORATION
DARSHAN B RAO1, DIVKAR TANVI SURESH2
1 Under Graduate student, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Acharya Institute of Technology, Visvesvaraya Technological University.
2 Under Graduate student, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Acharya Institute of Technology, Visvesvaraya Technological University

ABSTRACT--The urban myth that aerodynamicists have proven that bumble bees cannot
fly, can be traced back to at least 19th century .The quasi-steady attached flow are
insufficient to explain the aerodynamic forces over bumble bees and many other insects.
Studies of unsteady separated flow aerodynamics of insect flight have used physical,
analytical and numerical modeling based upon simplified, kinematic data treating wing as
a flat plate. The bumble bee can never fly according to the proposed aerodynamic
theories. Contrast to those proposed theories it uses its wings to generate a leading edge
vortex and produce lift. Here we design a craft with flexible wings, which depicts the
wings of a bumble bee and these wings create a leading edge vortex and hence produce a
required lift. This technique from the bumblebee can be utilized for exploration, inside
mars atmosphere, which has a very thin atmosphere and any possible design for a
successful flight needs to achieve a mach one or greater with course of craft being
straight. With a great load carrying capacity as well as a better flight performance and
maneuverability, it provides a easy way for a better exploration within mars. The model
requires less complicated components as well as less cost with a better result compared to
other crafts. The knowledge of biomimetics with the technological advancement can lead
us to a better advancement and possible exploration out in space.

Key-Words--Leading Edge Vortex, Conceptual design, Effects and Results, 3-D

modeling, thin atmosphere

I. INTRODUCTION
A bumblebee is a member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae.
Bumblebees are social insects which form colonies with a single queen. Bumblebees have
round bodies covered in soft hair (long, branched setae), called pile, making them appear
and feel fuzzy. They have anosmatic (warning) coloration, often consisting of contrasting
bands of colour.
Bumble Bees beat their wings about 200 times a second. Their thorax muscles do
not contract on each nerve firing, but rather vibrate like a plucked rubber band. This is
efficient, since it lets the system consisting of muscle and wing operate at its resonant
frequency, leading to low energy consumption. Further, it is necessary, since insect motor
nerves generally cannot fire 200 times per second. These types of muscles are called

asynchronous muscles. Bumblebees must warm up their bodies considerably

to get airborne at low ambient temperatures.
But according to scientific studies, the laws of aerodynamics prove the
bumblebee should be incapable of flight, as it does not have the capacity (in
terms of wing size or beats per second) to achieve flight with the degree of
wing loading necessary.
The calculations made by Swiss gas dynamicist Jacob Ackeret (1898
1981) show that bumblebees flight is based upon a simplified linear treatment
of oscillating aero-foils. The method assumes small amplitude oscillations
without flow separation. This ignores the effect of dynamic stall (an airflow
separation inducing a large vortex above the wing), which briefly produces
several times the lift of the aero-foil in regular flight. More sophisticated
aerodynamic analysis shows the bumblebee can fly because its wings
encounter dynamic stall in every oscillation cycle.

mars has around 95% carbon and density of 3.93 kg/m3 and because of this very own
reason the atmosphere of mars is very thin as compared to mars(less than 1%) and also a
very low gravity (40%)
Many MARS CRAFTs have been developed till date like ARES (Aerial

Regional-scale Environmental Survey), MAGE (Mars Airborne Geophysical

Explorer),Et cetera .But the drawbacks of all the aircraft are that they cant have a
continuous interrupted flight because, as the Martian atmosphere is very thin it
would require a significant amount of speed or a large wing to take off. The
bumble craft can make this as an advantage and can fly by creating Leading Edge
Vortex (LEV) to create enough LIFT for a scheduled flight. As well as a better
load carrying capacity compared to the normal mars air-crafts.
A. Datas comparing atmosphere of Mars and Earth
,

John Maynard Smith, a noted biologist with a strong background in

aeronautics, has pointed out that bumblebees would not be expected to sustain
flight, as they would need to generate too much power given their tiny wing
area. However, in aerodynamics experiments with other insects, he found that
viscosity at the scale of small insects meant even their small wings can move a
very large volume of air relative to their size, and this reduces the power
required to sustain flight by an order of magnitude.
On contrast to the above discussion the main usage of what we say as
ADAPTIVE SCIENCE from the nature through bumblebee will help us in
exploration of planets, just like Mars. For over many years every human being
eyes are on the planet Mars. But unfortunately, other than rovers there has
been no successful means of exploration on planet mars. The composition of

Fig. 1 A picture of Earth and Mars and the comparison between their gravity and mean
density.

Fig. 3 Reynolds number formula

Fig. 2 Table comparing various features between earth and mars.

B. The data with the interpretation with the formula we can see that
Reynolds Number:
Depends on density and hence from the table we have Earth has
higher density than Mars and therefore has higher Re than mars. (Refer Fig. 3)
Lift Equation:
It depends on density of air proportionally and surface area so in
contrast to the atmosphere the lift will be very low, but an aircraft with higher
surface area can have a successful lift inside mars atmosphere. (Refer Fig. 4)

Fig. 4 Lift equation

Gravity:
Compared to Earths gravity, gravity in mars is less and this gives
an advantage for flight as the forces of gravity act less on the aircraft.
Considering the lift regarding a bumblebee it produces its own vortex
around its wings and that vortex is the very own reason for its flight.

Fig. 5 shows three hypotheses for separated flows over its wings. A. Continuous bound
vortex spanning from wing tip with free slip focus on the body. B.A conical spiral leading
edge vortices. C. A separate LEV on its wing with no foci on the surfaces of the wings:
instead, the LEV (Leading edge vortex) structures inflect into the wing tip and wing root
vortices.

II. DESIGN
Based on the data interpreted from Section 2, Using Catia V5 a rough 3D model is
prepared with flexible wings for a successful lift

Fig. 5

Fig. 6 shows the side view of the bumble craft with 2 pairs of flexible wings. The flexible
wings are attached on the same side so as to create a better and efficient lift on each side

The limitations on the weight over the surface of the mars can be eradicated from
the bumble bee aircraft due to its high weight carrying capacity with the same amount of
flight performance. Prior to all the characteristic requirements of any aircraft price of
production matters the most and this is where bee craft bumble can be positioned at the
top. Trailing edge vortex on a plane creates a negative downwash on the wing, thereby
creating a vortex at the trailing edge. This vortex is selectively adapted by bumble bees for
it own lift generation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We thank Dr S K Maharana, Head of the Department and all aeronautical
Department faculties of Acharya Institute of Technology who have been a constant source
of inspiration for us and helped us in every aspect, guiding and motivating us.
Fig. 7 Shows the front part of the craft where the nose part can use High tech
cameras for exploration

REFERENCES
III. DISCUSSION
The Leading Edge Vortex created by the bumble bee to sustain its
flight in the mid air has given us an idea about the confusion raised on planet
exploration. Though the rovers on mars are performing their task, but at a
glance of time required by the rover to complete a certain mission the bumble
craft can be a very useful craft for a better efficient, dependent, reliable craft.

[1] Anderson, John D., Jr.: Introduction to Flight, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company,
Boston, 2005
[2]Pierpont, P. K: Astronaut.Aeronaut.,Vol, 13mOctober 1975
[3]Nakayama, Y. Visualized Flow, compiled by the Japan Society of Mechanical
Engineers, New York, 1988