This paper systematically reviews the evolution of Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) aerofoil design, covering the geometric optimization and development from fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and flapping-wing to biomimetic-wing designs. In low Reynolds number environments, there are four main types of fixed-wing aerofoils, considered the classic designs for MAVs and have significantly contributed to the future development of MAV aerofoils. Rotary-wing and flapping-wing MAVs represent the initial application of bionics in aerofoil design. At the same time, the lift mechanisms discovered in insects and birds have since officially introduced MAV aerofoil design into the field of biomimetics. By integrating the locomotion mechanisms of animals such as stingrays and beetles, current research on biomimetic aerofoils has developed deployable and multi-parameter morphing wings Meanwhile, through the fusion of new and traditional technologies, the lift-to-drag ratio and flight efficiency are significantly improved. Finally, the paper summarizes the research methods and future directions of MAV aerofoil design, pointing out that the aerodynamic principles at low Reynolds numbers and the bionic kinematic principles of animals are the current research bottlenecks. These challenges can be addressed through cross-disciplinary research and further experimental validation to optimize MAV aerofoil designs.
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