Bioinspired Drone Actuated Using Wing and Aileron Motion for Extended Flight Capabilities

Zhang, Junming; Liu, Yubin; Gao, Liang; Liu, Benshan; Zhu, Yanhe; Zang, Xizhe; Zhao, Jie; Cai, Hao

doi:10.1109/lra.2022.3192803

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…It should be emphasized that in our previous research, we completed the design of the prototype. [ 19 ] Here, only a brief introduction to the mechanical structure of the morphing wing is provided. The morphing wing is actuated by a digital servo motor whose power is transferred by a pair of crossed helical involute gears, driving a group of wing skeletons composed of linkage mechanisms to achieve folding and unfolding.…”

Section: Morphing Wing Drone Test Platform and Aerodynamic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, the flow field is divided by an unstructured grid, and the number of grids is 2.2 × 10 8 . The specific parameter settings in the software were described in detail in our previous research, [ 19 ] and the accuracy of the aerodynamic simulation method was also validated by comparing it with the results of the wind tunnel tests. [ 23 ] To estimate aerodynamic derivatives, we utilized the aerodynamic vortex lattice (AVL) method by employing XFRL 5 software.…”

Section: Morphing Wing Drone Test Platform and Aerodynamic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another example is a bioinspired drone developed by Zhang et al that resembled large gliding birds. [ 19 ] Flight tests have shown that using a combination of wing morphing and aileron deflection improves the roll rates and the reduces adverse yaw compared to using only asymmetric wing control. The last example is a UAV named Pigeon‐Bot that was designed with real bird feathers attached to the wings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, asymmetric wing sweepback provides an insufficient moment at a small AOA, [11,20] and the telescopic wing structure moves slowly. [12,13] Combined control has been proven to improve the roll control capability of morphing wing UAVs, [18][19][20] but there are still no research have proven superior to the control effect of traditional ailerons so far. [21] All drones that have undergone flight testing only use simple overlays of wing deformation and aerodynamic control surfaces, and coordinating them for better control performance has not yet been explored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Employing Wing Morphing to Cooperate Aileron Deflection Improves the Rolling Agility of Drones

Liu,

Zhang,

Gao

et al. 2023

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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In the wild, gliding birds dodge obstacles or predators by folding and twisting their wings swiftly to perform a rapid roll. Accordingly, the authors strive to explore the feasibility of improving the roll rate of drones through this bird‐inspired morphing method, by using the asymmetric sweepback of wings to simulate the contraction of birds’ wings and the deflection of the aileron to imitate wing torsion. Moreover, the effects of wing morphing on the centroid, inertia matrix, and aerodynamic characteristics of the drone are explored herein, and a nonlinear dynamic model is established. Furthermore, a novel cooperative strategy that combines wing morphing with aileron deflection for roll control is introduced, and a flight controller based on this cooperative strategy is developed. Finally, the superiority of the cooperative strategy and the accuracy of the dynamic modeling have been validated in the outdoor flights of the morphing wing drone.

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Section: Morphing Wing Drone Test Platform and Aerodynamic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Morphing Wing Drone Test Platform and Aerodynamic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Employing Wing Morphing to Cooperate Aileron Deflection Improves the Rolling Agility of Drones

Liu,

Zhang,

Gao

et al. 2023

Advanced Intelligent Systems

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…Morphing technology enables drones to adaptively change the shape of their wings or fuselage according to different flight tasks or environments, just like birds in nature, in order to obtain the most suitable flight performance [2,3]. Morphing technology can improve the flight efficiency of aircraft, expand the flight envelope, increase the use of aircraft, or provide aircraft attitude control [4][5][6]. Therefore, research on the designing of UAVs with morphing technology has been gradually increasing [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Analysis and Experiment of Multiple Variable Sweep Wings on a Tandem-Wing MAV

Gao,

Zhu,

Zang

et al. 2023

Drones

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The current morphing technologies are mostly regarded as auxiliary tools, providing additional control torques to enhance the flight maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and they cannot exist independently of the traditional control surfaces. In this paper, we propose a tandem-wing micro aerial vehicle (MAV) with multiple variable-sweep wings, which can reduce the additional inertia forces and moments and weaken the dynamic coupling between longitudinal and lateral motion while the MAV morphs symmetrically for pitch control or asymmetrically for roll control, thereby flying without the traditional aileron and elevator. First, load experiments were conducted on the MAV to verify the structural strength of the multiple variable sweep wings, and the control moments caused by the morphing of the MAV were presented through numerical simulations. Then, the effects caused by symmetric and asymmetric morphing were investigated via dynamic response simulations based on the Kane dynamic model of the MAV, and the generated additional inertia forces and moments were also analyzed during morphing. Finally, dynamic response experiments and open-loop flight experiments were conducted. The experimental results demonstrated that the morphing mode in this study could weaken the coupling between the longitudinal and lateral dynamics and that it was feasible for attitude control without the traditional aileron and elevator while flying.

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Enhancing Longitudinal Flight Performance of Drones through the Coupling of Wings Morphing and Deflection of Aerodynamic Surfaces

Zhang,

Liu,

Gao

et al. 2024

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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In nature, gliding birds frequently execute intricate flight maneuvers such as aerial somersaults, perched landings, and swift descents, enabling them to navigate obstacles or hunt prey. It is evident that birds rely on different wing–tail configurations to accomplish a wide range of aerial maneuvers. For traditional fixed‐wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), pitch control primarily comes from the tail's elevators, while adjusting flight lift and drag involves deploying wing flaps. Although these designs ensure reliable flight, they compromise the drones’ maneuverability to maintain longitudinal stability. Therefore, the study introduces a biomimetic morphing wing UAV, and presents a pitch control strategy that simultaneously engages morphing wings, ailerons, and tail elevators. The pull‐up maneuver tests indicate that the proposed control method results in a pitch rate that is approximately 2.5 times greater than when using only the elevator control. A closed‐loop control system for the drone is also established. The closed‐loop flight experiment, which tracks a 45° pitch angle, demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed coupled control method in adjusting the flight attitude. In addition, during cruising, the UAV employs three configurations, straight wing, forward‐swept wing, and back‐swept wing, to cater to different mission objectives and augment its flight capabilities.

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Bioinspired Drone Actuated Using Wing and Aileron Motion for Extended Flight Capabilities

Cited by 12 publications

References 22 publications

Employing Wing Morphing to Cooperate Aileron Deflection Improves the Rolling Agility of Drones

Employing Wing Morphing to Cooperate Aileron Deflection Improves the Rolling Agility of Drones

Dynamic Analysis and Experiment of Multiple Variable Sweep Wings on a Tandem-Wing MAV

Enhancing Longitudinal Flight Performance of Drones through the Coupling of Wings Morphing and Deflection of Aerodynamic Surfaces

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