The research of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) is a new field of low-Reynolds-number flow, which attracts much
attention in the advanced aeronautical area. The flapping wing, proved by many natural flyers, is the most appropriate
way of flying objects which sizes are less than 6 inches. However, there is still plenty of room for people to investigate
the unsteady aerodynamic characteristic of flapping wings. In this paper, the flapping wing of lightweight and high
strength is composed of the titanium-alloy frame and the parylene skin. Such an integration of fabrication needs the help
of MEMS processing technique. In the wind-tunnel test of the flapping MAV, the signals from load cell and PVDF film
are used to detect the on-site lift. Both of the lift signals from PVDF and the load-cell are basically identical with the
same flapping frequency and the similar qualitative behavior. Finally, we integrate Li-battery into the MAV to perform a
successful free flight with a range of 10-15 meters.
Relation:
Journal of the Aeronautics and Astronautics-Series A 39(3), pp.195-201