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Insect-inspired passive mechanisms in hovering flapping wing micro air vehicles: a review.

Jinjing Hao¹, Jianghao Wu²

¹Hangzhou International Innovation Institute, Beihang University, Hangzhou 311115, People's Republic of China.

Bioinspiration & Biomimetics

|December 15, 2025

Summary

Flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs) use insect-inspired passive mechanisms to overcome aerodynamic challenges at small scales. These biohybrid solutions simplify engineering and reduce energy demands for improved flight capabilities.

Keywords:

bionic robot flapping wing micro air vehicle passive mechanisms

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Area of Science:

Aerospace Engineering
Bio-inspired Robotics
Fluid Dynamics

Background:

Micro air vehicles (MAVs) face aerodynamic limitations at low Reynolds numbers.
Conventional MAVs struggle with efficiency due to viscous forces.
Flapping-wing MAVs (FWMAVs) offer a promising alternative using unsteady aerodynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To review passive mechanisms in hovering FWMAVs.
To explore biological foundations and engineered implementations of these mechanisms.
To identify research frontiers for expanding FWMAV capabilities.

Main Methods:

Systematic examination of passive mechanisms in FWMAVs.
Analysis of insect wing motion replication strategies.
Comparative evaluation of conventional and bio-hybrid FWMAV designs.

Main Results:

Passive mechanisms leverage inherent dynamic properties for mechanical simplification.
These mechanisms reduce energy demands and address control challenges in FWMAVs.
Bio-hybrid designs combining biological principles with engineering show potential.

Conclusions:

Passive mechanisms are crucial for overcoming aerodynamic constraints in FWMAVs.
Insect-inspired designs offer enhanced performance and reduced complexity.
Further research in passive mechanisms will expand FWMAV operational envelopes and versatility.