An Integrated Analysis of a Dragonfly in Free Flight

Abstract

There were few literatures on the discussion of the wing flexion and associated aerodynamic performance of dragonfly wings in dragonfly free flights, which are potential candidates for developing bio-inspired micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) that can match the hovering and maneuvering performance of winged insects. To this end, we experimentally measure the wing flexion of a free flying dragonfly during take-off using high-speed photogrammetry and three-dimensional surface reconstructions. From the collected data, analysis of body motion Euler angles, SVD analysis of wing kinematics, wing surface deformation and topologies, and direct numerical simulations will provide insights into the selection of flapping wing and kinematics for quad-winged MAV designs and applications. NOMENCLATURE  f flapping or azimuth angle of forewing, deg  h flapping or azimuth angle of hindwing, deg  angular rate of flapping motion, rad/s △ phase difference of azimuth angle between forewing and hindwing, deg

Thrust producing mechanisms in ray-inspired underwater vehicle propulsion

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Improvement of the aerodynamic performance by wing flexibility and elytra–hind wing interaction of a beetle during forward flight

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Low Dimensional Morphology Analysis and Computational Optimization of Flapping Propulsors in Nature

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