Abstract
Inspired by the unique, agile and efficient flapping flight of insects, we present a novel sub-100 mg, electromagnetically driven, tailless, flapping-wing micro robot. This robot utilizes two optimized electromagnetic actuators placed back to back to drive two wings separately, then kinematics of each wing can be independently controlled, which gives the robot the ability to generate all three control torques of pitch, roll and yaw for steering. To quantify the performance of the robot, a simplified aerodynamic model is used to estimate the generated lift and torques, and two customized test platforms for lift and torque measurement are built for this robot. The mean lift generated by the robot is measured to be proportional to the square of the input voltage amplitude. The three control torques are measured to be respectively proportional to three decoupled parameters of the control voltages, therefore the modulation of three control torques for the robot is independent, which is helpful for the further controlled flight. All these measured results fit well with the calculated results of the aerodynamic model. Furthermore, with a total weight of 96 mg and a wingspan of 3.5 cm, this robot can generate sufficient lift to take off.
Highlights
In order to imitate the efficient and agile tailless flight of insects
Different from the piezoelectric actuation used in Harvard University and CMU’s works, we presented the first liftoff of the worlds smallest electromagnetically driven flapping-wing micro robot[10], indicating the electromagnetic actuators could successfully serve as the drive system for insect-inspired Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicles (FMAV)
We have demonstrated the design of a novel sub 100 mg electromagnetically driven flapping-wing micro robot
Summary
In order to imitate the efficient and agile tailless flight of insects. Researchers have been creating insect inspired Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicles (FMAV) over the past decades, and several motor driven FMAVs are reported to achieve controlled flight[1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. Inspired by the flight mechanisms and control strategies of hovering insects, a novel control method called Split-Cycle Constant-Period Frequency Modulation (SCCPFM) was proposed by Oppenheimer[13], providing a high level of control input for insect- scale tailless FMAVs with independently actuated and passive rotated wings. Different from the piezoelectric actuation used in Harvard University and CMU’s works, we presented the first liftoff of the worlds smallest electromagnetically driven flapping-wing micro robot[10], indicating the electromagnetic actuators could successfully serve as the drive system for insect-inspired FMAVs. because only one electromagnetic actuator was designed to simultaneously drive two wings, this robot cannot produce body torques by asymmetric wing motion for maneuvering. With a total weight of 96 mg and a wingspan of 35 mm, this robot is capable of liftoff and all three control torques modulation
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