Influence of structural flexibility on flapping wing propulsion

Natural fliers such as birds and moths exhibit large wing deformations during flight. Understanding the influence of the wing deformations on the unsteady aerodynamics is necessary for optimizing the design of future micro-aerial vehicles. With support from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Air Vehicles directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Aaron McClung examined the influence of wing deformations on the aerodynamic performance of the Hawkmoth using numerical simulation. This work indicates that both twisting of the wing and bending of the wing influence the strength and timing of the unsteady aerodynamic phenomena that dominate the aerodynamic forces produced during flight. The results of this work, and the set of computational tools that were developed, will be incorporated into a design and optimization framework for micro-aerial vehicles currently being developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory.