Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle Designs by SK Gupta's Group

MAV Name	Purpose	Specifications	Image	Video
Exploratory Bird	The purpose of this design was to test the basic compliant mechanism concept and the weight distribution that leads to sustained flapping wing flight.	Weight: 8.3 g  (including battery) Wing Span: 33.1 cm Pay Load Capability: 0 g		UMD_Explor_Bird.wmv
Small Bird	This was our first effort in designing a fully steerable lightweight bird.	Weight: 9.7 g (excluding battery) Wing Span: 34.3 cm Flapping Frequency: 12.1 Pay Load Capability: 5.7 g (including battery)		UMD_Small_Bird.wmv
Big Bird	This was our attempt at increasing the payload of the bird to carry on-board sensors.	Weight: 27.9 g (excluding battery) Wing Span: 57.2 cm Flapping Frequency:  4.5 Hz Pay Load Capaility: 19.1 g (including battery)		UMD_Big_Bird.wmv UMD_Bird_Acrobatics.avi
Big Bird with Vision	We used the payload capacity of the big bird  to attach a video camera with radio transmitter to get images as seen by the bird.	Weight: 42.2 g (including battery and video camera) Wing Span: 57.2 cm Flapping Frequency:  4.5 Hz		UMD_Big_Bird_Video.wmv
Big Bird with Folding Wing	By mimicking the folding of the bird’s wing, we slowed the flight velocity by 10% without any appreciable decrease in the overall weight of the bird in flight (this included weight of the bird and the payload).	Weight: 29.9 g (excluding battery) Wing Span: 57.2 cm Flapping Frequency:  4.5 Hz Pay Load Capability: 17.0 g (including battery)		UMD_Bird_Folding_Wings.wmv
Jumbo Bird	This was our attempt at further increasing the payload of the bird to fly with an auto pilot.	Weight: 38.0 g (excluding battery) Wing Span: 63.5 cm Flapping Frequency:  6.1 Hz Pay Load Capability: 33.0 g (including battery)		UMD_Jumbo_Bird.wmv UMD_Jumbo_Launch.wmv UMD_Jumbo_Windy.wmv

Related Publications

• D. Mueller, H.A. Bruck, and S.K. Gupta. Measurement of thrust and lift forces associated with drag of compliant flapping wing for micro air vehicles using a new test stand design. Experimental Mechanics, 50(6):725–735, 2010.
• W. Bejgerowski, J.W. Gerdes, S.K. Gupta, H.A. Bruck, and S. Wilkerson. Design and fabrication of a multi-material compliant flapping wing drive mechanism for miniature air vehicles. ASME Mechanism and Robotics Conference, Montreal, Canada, August 2010.
• J.W. Gerdes, S.K. Gupta, H.A. Bruck, and S. Wilkerson. A review of bird-inspired flapping wing miniature air vehicle designs. ASME Mechanism and Robotics Conference, Montreal, Canada, August 2010.
• W. Bejgerowski, A. Ananthanarayanan, D. Mueller, and S.K. Gupta.  Integrated product and process design for a flapping wing drive-mechanism. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, 131: 061006, 2009.
• D. Mueller, J. Gerdes, and S.K. Gupta. Incorporation of passive wing folding in flapping wing miniature air vehicles. ASME Mechanism and Robotics Conference, August 30-September 2, 2009, San Diego.

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