FLAPPING WING DYNAMICS

(1152AE219)

LABORATORY RECORD

NAME:
REG.NO:
VTU NO:
BRANCH:
 CERTIFICATE

Certified that this is THE BONAFIDE RECORD of work done by

…………………………………… in the FLAPPING WING DYNAMICS
during the Year 2023-2024 VTU NO………………. Year…………….
Semester…………..
Programme: BTech Aeronautical Engineering

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with date

Submitted for the Model Practical Examination held on……………………….

Signature of the INTERNAL EXAMINAR with date

 INDEX

S.NO DATE NAME OF THE EXPERIMENT MARKS SIGNATURE

 INTRODUCTION

A flexible flapping wing with a rectangular planform was designed to investigate

the influence of flexible deformation. This planform is more convenient and
easier to define and analysed its deforming properties in the direction of spanwise
and chordwise. The flapping wings were created from carbon fiber skeleton and
polyester membrane with similar size to medium birds. Their flexibility of
deformations was tested using a pair of high-speed cameras, and the 3D
deformations were reconstructed using the digital image correlation technology.
To obtain the relationship between the flexible deformation and aerodynamic
forces, a force/torque sensor with 6 components was used to test the
corresponding aerodynamic forces. Experimental results indicated that the
flexible deformations demonstrate apparent cyclic features, in accordance with
the flapping cyclic movements. The deformations in spanwise and chordwise are
coupled together; a change of chordwise rib stiffness can cause more change in
spanwise deformation. A certain lag in phase was observed between the
deformation and the flapping movements. This was because the deformation was
caused by both the aerodynamic force and the inertial force. The stiffness had a
significant effect on the deformation, which in turn, affected the aerodynamic and
power characteristics. In the scope of this study, the wing with medium stiffness
consumed the least power. The purpose of this is to explore some fundamental
characteristics, as well as the experimental setup is described in detail, which is
helpful to understand the basic aerodynamic characteristics of flapping wings.
The results of this study can provide an inspiration to further understand and
design flapping-wing micro air vehicles with better performance.
Experiment 1: Design and Fabrication of Flapping Wing Mechanism
Objective:
The objective of this experiment is to design and fabricate a functional flapping wing mechanism that
replicates the wing motion of birds and insects. The mechanism will be designed to closely mimic the
flapping motion of natural flyers and provide insights into the principles of aerodynamics and
biomimicry.

Materials and Equipment:

1. Lightweight structural materials (e.g., carbon fibre, balsa wood)
2. Actuators (e.g., servo motors)
3. Hinges and joints
4. Power supply
5. Microcontroller and control circuitry
6. Sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes)
7. Computer with CAD software
8. Manufacturing tools (e.g., laser cutter, 3D printer, soldering equipment)
9. Measurement tools (e.g., rulers, callipers)
10. Safety equipment (e.g., safety goggles, gloves)

Fig. Flapping Wing Mechanism

Experimental Procedure:

1. Design Phase:
1.1. Conduct preliminary research on the wing motion of different bird and insect species to
understand their kinematics and aerodynamics.
1.2. Using CAD software, design the flapping wing mechanism, considering factors such as wing
shape, size, wing-beat frequency, and flexibility.
1.3. Incorporate hinges and joints that allow the desired range of motion and flexibility.
1.4. Design the attachment points for the actuators and sensors.
1.5. Review the design with the instructor for feedback and suggestions.

2. Fabrication Phase:
2.1. Gather the required materials based on the design specifications.
2.2. Use appropriate manufacturing tools to cut and shape the structural materials for the wing frame
and wings.
2.3. Assemble the wing mechanism by attaching hinges, joints, and structural components according
to the design.
2.4. Integrate servo motors at the designated attachment points and connect them to the wing
structure.
2.5. Set up the control circuitry, including the microcontroller and power supply, and ensure proper
connectivity to the servo motors.
2.6. Calibrate the servo motors to achieve the desired wing-beat motion.

3. Testing and Analysis:

3.1. Place the fabricated flapping wing mechanism in a controlled environment.
3.2. Run tests to observe and record the flapping motion of the wings at different wing-beat
frequencies.
3.3. Measure the lift and thrust generated by the mechanism using appropriate sensors.
3.4. Record data from accelerometers and gyroscopes to analyse the motion of the mechanism in
detail.
3.5. Compare the mechanism's performance to the natural wing motions of birds and insects.
4. Discussion and Conclusion:
4.1. Analyse the experimental results to determine the effectiveness of the fabricated flapping wing
mechanism in replicating natural wing motion.
4.2. Discuss the challenges faced during the design and fabrication phases and propose potential
improvements.
4.3. Compare the performance of the mechanism with theoretical expectations and discuss any
discrepancies.
4.4. Reflect on the implications of the experiment's findings for biomimetic design and aerodynamics
research.
4.5. Summarize the key findings and conclude the laboratory record.
Experiment 2: Flow Visualization over a Flapping Wing
Objective:
The objective of this experiment is to visualize the flow pattern and characteristics over a flapping
wing in a controlled laboratory setting. By conducting flow visualization techniques, we aim to gain
insights into the aerodynamic behaviour and vorticity dynamics during wing flapping.

Apparatus and Equipment:

1. Wind Tunnel
2. Artificial Flapping Wing Mechanism
3. High-Speed Camera
4. Smoke Generator
5. Particle Seeding Material (e.g., Smoke Particles)
6. Laser Light Sheet Generator
7. Image Analysis Software

Experimental Setup:
1. The wind tunnel was set to a constant airspeed of [Insert Airspeed] to simulate the flow
conditions.
2. The artificial flapping wing mechanism was securely mounted at the centre of the wind tunnel
test section.
3. The high-speed camera was positioned to capture side-view images of the flapping wing and
the flow field.
4. The smoke generator was used to introduce smoke particles into the flow around the wing.
5. The laser light sheet generator was aligned to create a thin sheet of light across the flapping
wing's path for visualization purposes.

Procedure:
1. Calibrate the wind tunnel to the desired airspeed and ensure stable conditions.
2. Set up the artificial flapping wing mechanism and confirm its proper functionality.
3. Position the high-speed camera to capture the side view of the flapping wing and the flow
field.
4. Introduce smoke particles into the flow using the smoke generator.
5. Activate the laser light sheet generator to illuminate the flow across the flapping wing's path.
6. Start the high-speed camera to record the flow visualization.
7. Initiate the flapping motion of the wing mechanism and record the motion as well as the flow
visualization for a specific number of flapping cycles.
8. Stop the camera recording and turn off the laser light sheet generator.
9. Repeat the experiment for different flapping frequencies or angles as desired.
10. Transfer the recorded images to the image analysis software for further analysis.
Data Collection:
1. High-speed video recordings of the flapping wing motion and flow visualization.
2. Notes on the flapping frequency, amplitude, and angle.
3. Observations regarding the flow patterns, vorticity dynamics, and interactions with the wing
surface.

Analysis:
1. Use the image analysis software to process the recorded videos and extract relevant flow
features.
2. Quantify the vorticity dynamics and flow separation points during different phases of the
wing's motion.
3. Compare the flow patterns and characteristics at different flapping frequencies or angles.

Results and Discussion:

The results of this experiment will provide visual insights into the flow behaviour over a flapping
wing. By analysing the flow patterns and vorticity dynamics, we can gain a better understanding of
the aerodynamic principles involved in wing flapping. This information could have applications in
biomimetic design, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other fields.

Conclusion:
In this experiment, flow visualization techniques were used to study the flow patterns over a flapping
wing. The recorded images and data will be further analysed to draw conclusions about the
aerodynamic characteristics of the wing's motion. This experiment contributes to our understanding of
fluid dynamics in relation to wing flapping, potentially paving the way for improved aerodynamic
designs in various engineering applications.
Experiment 3: Flow Visualisation over a Flapping Flyer
Objective:
To visualize and understand the flow over a flapping flyer model

Required materials:
Flapping flyer, Wind tunnel setup

Experimental setup:
1. The wind tunnel was set to a constant airspeed of [Insert Airspeed] to simulate the flow
conditions.
2. The flapping flyer is fixed inside the wind tunnel setup
3.The smoke generator was used to introduce smoke particles into the flow around the wing.
4.The various angle was induced and the flow over flyer is visualized

Procedure:
1. Calibrate the wind tunnel to the desired airspeed and ensure stable conditions.
2. Set up the artificial flapping flyer and confirm its proper functionality.
3. Position the high-speed camera to capture the side view of the flapping wing and the flow field.
4. Introduce smoke particles into the flow using the smoke generator.
5. The flow should be visualized for various strokes of the flyer. So, one by one the experimental
setup is made
6.The inference from this experiment is stated
Table:

Result and discussion:

The current section reports the evolution of the wake vortex structures through the fapping cycle.
Wake planes that are oriented perpendicular to the body axis are addressed first and next the three-
dimensional vortical topology. Subsequently, the different configurations in tethered conditions are
compared in to analyse the effect of changing fight conditions and reduced frequency on the wake
structures. Finally, a comparison should be made between the results for tethered and free-fight
configurations at similar condition.