Aerodynamic Interactions Between Contralateral Wings and Between Wings and Body of a Model Insect at Hovering and Small Speed Motions

Abstract

In this paper, we study the aerodynamic interactions between the contralateral wings and between the body and wings of a model insect, when the insect is hovering and has various translational and rotational motions, using the method numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equations over moving overset grids. The aerodynamic interactional effects are identified by comparing the results of a complete model insect, the corresponding wing pair, single wing and body without the wings. Horizontal, vertical and lateral translations and roll, pitch and yaw rotations at small speeds are considered. The results indicate that for the motions considered, both the interaction between the contralateral wings and the interaction between the body and wings are weak. The changes in the forces and moments of a wing due to the contralateral wing interaction, of the wings due to the presence of the body, and of the body due to the presence of the wings are generally less than 4.5%. Results show that aerodynamic forces of wings and body can be measured or computed separately in the analysis of flight stability and control of hovering insects.