TY - JOUR
T1 - Structural Design and Kinematic Modeling of Highly Biomimetic Flapping-Wing Aircraft with Perching Functionality
AU - Pu, Wenyang
AU - Shen, Qiang
AU - Yang, Yuhang
AU - Lu, Yiming
AU - Yan, Yaojie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Birds use their claws to perch on branches, which helps them to recover energy and observe their surroundings; however, most biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft can only fly, not perch. This study was conducted on the basis of bionic principles to replicate birds’ claw and wing movements in order to design a highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft capable of perching. First, a posture conversion module with a multi-motor hemispherical gear structure allows the aircraft to flap, twist, swing, and transition between its folded and unfolded states. The perching module, based on helical motion, converts the motor’s rotational movement into axial movement to extend and retract the claws, enabling the aircraft to perch. The head and tail motion module has a dual motor that enables the aircraft’s head and tail to move as flexibly as a bird’s. Kinematic models of the main functional modules are established and verified for accuracy. Functional experiments on the prototype show that it can perform all perching actions, demonstrating multi-modal motion capabilities and providing a foundation upon which to develop dynamics models and control methods for highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft with perching functionality.
AB - Birds use their claws to perch on branches, which helps them to recover energy and observe their surroundings; however, most biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft can only fly, not perch. This study was conducted on the basis of bionic principles to replicate birds’ claw and wing movements in order to design a highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft capable of perching. First, a posture conversion module with a multi-motor hemispherical gear structure allows the aircraft to flap, twist, swing, and transition between its folded and unfolded states. The perching module, based on helical motion, converts the motor’s rotational movement into axial movement to extend and retract the claws, enabling the aircraft to perch. The head and tail motion module has a dual motor that enables the aircraft’s head and tail to move as flexibly as a bird’s. Kinematic models of the main functional modules are established and verified for accuracy. Functional experiments on the prototype show that it can perform all perching actions, demonstrating multi-modal motion capabilities and providing a foundation upon which to develop dynamics models and control methods for highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft with perching functionality.
KW - flapping-wing aircraft
KW - highly biomimetic
KW - kinematics model
KW - perching function
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213381122&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/biomimetics9120736
DO - 10.3390/biomimetics9120736
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85213381122
SN - 2313-7673
VL - 9
JO - Biomimetics
JF - Biomimetics
IS - 12
M1 - 736
ER -