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Area of Science:

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Bio-inspired Design
  • Robotics

Background:

  • Current unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wings often oversimplify bird wing structures.
  • A holistic approach to bioinspired design can unlock greater UAV adaptability.
  • Crow wing morphology offers unique advantages for adaptable flight.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel bioinspired morphing wing prototype based on crow wing anatomy.
  • To investigate the aerodynamic performance of a morphing wing with a focus on adaptability.
  • To replicate key macroscopic features and feather structures of bird wings in a UAV application.

Main Methods:

  • A prototype crow wing was designed with a carbon fiber reinforced polymer skeleton and one degree of freedom for morphing.
  • The prototype replicates the folding motion and feather structure of crow wings.
  • Aerodynamic performance was evaluated in a subsonic wind tunnel across various flow velocities (5-20 m/s) and Reynolds numbers (0.7x10^5-2.8x10^5).

Main Results:

  • The morphing wing demonstrated a smooth airfoil surface throughout its morphing motion.
  • Wing planform changed from elliptical (extended) to a reduced wingspan and surface area (folded), decreasing aspect ratio from 2.9 to 1.2.
  • The bioinspired wing sustained large angles of attack, exhibited significantly delayed stall, and maintained optimal performance at different speeds.

Conclusions:

  • The bioinspired morphing wing successfully captures key phenomena of real bird wings.
  • The design's morphing capability and inherent softness contribute to enhanced flight performance and stall resistance.
  • This research advances the development of highly adaptable UAVs through realistic bioinspired engineering.