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Experimental Study of the Effect of Wing Flapping on the Aerodynamic Performance of Tail and the Stability of a Flapping Wing Air Vehicle

Mesmarian, Mohammad Navid | 2019

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 52508 (45)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Aerospace Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Pourtakdoust, Hossein; Kiani, Maryam
  7. Abstract:
  8. In adaptation with nature, Flapping Wing Arial Robots (FWARs) are flying vehicles that use wing flapping motion to produce lift and thrust forces simultaneously. Wing oscillating motion of FWARs in turn creates an unsteady and turbulent flow field around them that makes their aerodynamic modeling and analysis a complex and formidable task. As a result, experimental aerodynamic investigation of FWARs has been the focus of many researchers in the last few years. Inspired by nature, Bird-like FWARs utilize a tail as an augmented aerodynamic surface during their flight motion. In turn the tail aerodynamics that in general plays an important role in flight stability and control is adversely affected by the flapping wing unsteady flow field of the FWARs. This makes analysis and study of tail loading performance effect on FWARs highly important. To this aim, the goal of this research is to experimentally investigate the role of tail surface on longitudinal aerodynamic forces and moment of FWARs. In this regard, first a 3DOF strain based force balance system is developed and calibrated. Subsequently, wind tunnel experiments have been performed on a commercial FWAR to measure variation of lift and thrust forces as well as the pitching moment against changes in the angle of attack (AOA), tail deflection angle, flapping frequency and the air speed. The tests have been repeated without tail as well in order to make the investigation of FWAR tail effect permissible. The results have been analyzed and the flapping wing downwash effect has been approximated. It is also realized that the calculated tail downwash remains almost invariant for the range of AOAs utilized in the testing process. Finally a relation for the lift coefficient in terms of AOA and tail deflection angle is proposed for the FWAR under study that can be used for future works to be performed with regards to flight simulation and control of the utilized flying robot
  9. Keywords:
  10. Flapping Wing ; Calibration ; Experimental Studies ; Aerodynamic Performance ; Force Balance System ; Aerodynamic Longitudinal Moment ; Aerodynamic Power

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