Wing Motion Research Articles

The impulse response of optic flow-sensitive descending neurons to roll m-sequences.

ABSTRACTWhen animals move through the world, their own movements generate widefield optic flow across their eyes. In insects, such widefield motion is encoded by optic lobe neurons. These lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs) synapse with optic flow-sensitive descending neurons, which in turn project to areas that control neck, wing and leg movements. As the descending neurons play a role in sensorimotor transformation, it is important to understand their spatio-temporal response properties. Recent work shows that a relatively fast and efficient way to quantify such response properties is to use m-sequences or other white noise techniques. Therefore, here we used m-sequences to quantify the impulse responses of optic flow-sensitive descending neurons in male Eristalis tenax hoverflies. We focused on roll impulse responses as hoverflies perform exquisite head roll stabilizing reflexes, and the descending neurons respond particularly well to roll. We found that the roll impulse responses were fast, peaking after 16.5–18.0 ms. This is similar to the impulse response time to peak (18.3 ms) to widefield horizontal motion recorded in hoverfly LPTCs. We found that the roll impulse response amplitude scaled with the size of the stimulus impulse, and that its shape could be affected by the addition of constant velocity roll or lift. For example, the roll impulse response became faster and stronger with the addition of excitatory stimuli, and vice versa. We also found that the roll impulse response had a long return to baseline, which was significantly and substantially reduced by the addition of either roll or lift.

Wings and halteres act as coupled dual oscillators in flies

The mechanics of Dipteran thorax is dictated by a network of exoskeletal linkages that, when deformed by the flight muscles, generate coordinated wing movements. In Diptera, the forewings power flight, whereas the hindwings have evolved into specialized structures called halteres, which provide rapid mechanosensory feedback for flight stabilization. Although actuated by independent muscles, wing and haltere motion is precisely phase-coordinated at high frequencies. Because wingbeat frequency is a product of wing-thorax resonance, any wear-and-tear of wings or thorax should impair flight ability. How robust is the Dipteran flight system against such perturbations? Here, we show that wings and halteres are independently driven, coupled oscillators. We systematically reduced the wing length in flies and observed how wing-haltere synchronization was affected. The wing-wing system is a strongly coupled oscillator, whereas the wing-haltere system is weakly coupled through mechanical linkages that synchronize phase and frequency. Wing-haltere link acts in a unidirectional manner; altering wingbeat frequency affects haltere frequency, but not vice versa. Exoskeletal linkages are thus key morphological features of the Dipteran thorax that ensure wing-haltere synchrony, despite severe wing damage.

Flexible wings take the effort out of swimming for diving penguins

Swimming with penguins in the wild is a mind-blowing experience. When the ‘mini torpedoes’ hurtle past, you can barely make out the animals’ shape, let alone their movements. This was the problem faced by Hiroto Tanaka and colleagues from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, as they tried to understand how penguins swim; their movements are supremely swift. And even though researchers have a sense of how penguins overcome buoyancy, no one had successfully visualised how the birds use their wings to propel themselves through water; do they flap like inflexible paddles, or flex and bend as they sweep through the water? Intrigued by this mystery, Tanaka, Natsuki Harada, Takuma Oura and Masateru Maeda travelled to the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium, Japan – home to nine species ranging in size from king penguins to little penguins – to find out how gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) move beneath the waves.‘Working with real penguins at the aquarium was so exciting but demanded a lot of effort to find the appropriate setup for video recording; it took several years’, explains Tanaka, who equipped the penguins’ 4 m deep tank with up to 14 waterproof cameras trained on a rectangular region in the centre of the tank to capture their manoeuvres in 3D. Then, Harada and Oura gently attached tape markers to three points on the wings of three penguins, in addition to markers on the birds’ bellies and backs, to keep track of their motions as they plunged freely through the water. ‘I was so glad and relieved to see the penguins swim comfortably inside the measurement space’, says Tanaka, who recorded over 28 h of movies as the birds darted around the tank at speeds ranging from 0.83 to 2.07 m s−1. Then, Harada and Oura meticulously analysed the birds’ manoeuvres, identifying 40 complete wingbeats to dissect in fine detail.By dividing each wing into a lozenge shape – composed of two triangles joined at their bases, where the triangle at the wing tip could hinge up and down as the wing bent at the penguins’ wrists – to conceptualize each wing beat, the team could see that the wing tip led the penguin wing beat, bending downward (with an angle larger than –20 deg) while sweeping upward and producing a shallower upward bow (∼10 deg) as the wing swept down. Most importantly, the team recorded that the penguins surged forward during both the up- and downstrokes, accelerating more during the upstroke, in contrast to other diving birds, which accelerate more during the downstroke.But how much benefit were the penguins reaping from the flexibility of their wings? After scanning the extended right wing of a penguin, Yayi Shen (Tokyo Institute of Technology) printed a 3D model of the limb before tilting it at various angles in water flowing at 2 m s−1 to measure the lift and drag exerted on the model. Harada then used the values to calculate the forces exerted on a flat and bent wing as the penguin swam and realised that swimming with flat paddle-like wings was less efficient than when the wing bent. In other words, bending the wing reduces the amount of effort penguins have to invest in swimming, improving their efficiency.So, wing flexibility is a key component of the penguin's effortless agility, and Tanaka is eager to measure the wing motions of gentoos as they twist and turn at extremely high speeds in the aquarium. He also dreams of observing their manoeuvres in the wild, ‘but I have no idea how to do that for now’ he smiles.

The link between avian brachial index, flight capability and the neornithine evolutionary radiation.

In dictating the relative distances between the elbow, shoulder and wrist, avian brachial index (BI=humerus/radius-ulna length) likely influences wing kinematics and, therefore, might predict extinct avian flight capability. This underpins the hypothesis that non-neornithine Mesozoic avialans with relatively low BIs (associated with improved flight capabilities) restricted neornithine diversification until after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Here, correlations between flight metrics (wingbeat frequency (f), stroke angle (θ), wing loading (Q) and aspect ratio) and BI were investigated and vice versa. Additionally, the evolutionary model best describing the phylogenetic distribution of BI, and the temporal patterns in BI, flight metrics, body mass (Mb ), and size-corrected humerus (Lh ) and radius-ulna (Lru ) length were determined. BI was best described by Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes, with low α values indicating a gradual shift towards a future theoretical optimum. BI also decreased overall through evolutionary time with the flight metrics mirroring temporal patterns of change in BI. Mb , Lh and Lru overall decreased apart from increases in Lh and Lru following the middle-late Miocene (also leading to BI increasing) due to diversifications of the Anatinae and Sphenisciformes. Lh overall decreased further than Lru. Consequently, decreasing Lh mainly contributed to decreasing BI through evolutionary time, implying flight performance increased through neornithine evolution. However, the timings of radiations in these variables implies an Eocene radiation of neornthine flight ecology rather than a rapid expansion into niches vacated by non-neornithine Mesozoic avialians following the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Multiple regressions showed f, θ and Q explained 60% of variation in BI. However, unequivocally evaluating whether BI is related to wing movement (and flight capability) requires direct measures of wing movement for many species, which are currently unavailable. Finally, the findings here and previously observed clade-specificity in BI, suggest flight ecology may also be clade-specific. Hence, the utility of phylogeny in predicting flight ecology requires exploration.

Nonlinear dynamics of Z-shaped morphing wings in subsonic flow

Morphing wing aircraft have generated increasing interest in recent years owing to their ability to alter the shape and configuration of the wings to retain optimum flight performance under different flight conditions. However, while theoretical approaches have greatly advanced our understanding of the nonlinear vibrational characteristics of morphing wings during the morphing process, little effort has been made to verify the results of theoretical studies based on corresponding experimental results. The present work addresses this issue by first investigating the nonlinear dynamic behaviors of Z-shaped morphing wings during the morphing process in subsonic flow based on thin airfoil theory under ideal incompressible fluid conditions. First, the steady aerodynamic lift on the morphing wing is derived and the nonlinear partial differential equations governing the morphing wing motion are established. The influence of the folding angle on the nonlinear responses of the morphing wing is investigated via numerical simulations. Then, the aeroelastic characteristics of the morphing wing, including the flutter displacements of edge points on the outer plate of the wing, are investigated using the computational fluid dynamics module in ANSYS. Finally, the results of theoretical analysis are verified by experiments conducted with a corresponding Z-shaped morphing wing model.

Novel wing display and divergent agonistic behaviors of two incipient Psolodesmus damselflies.

Sexual selection via male competition is a strong evolutionary force that can drive rapid changes in competitive traits and subsequently lead to population divergence and speciation. Territorial males of many odonates are known to use their colorful wings as visual signals and to perform agonistic displays toward intruders. Psolodesmus mandarinus dorothea and Psolodesmus mandarinus mandarinus are two parapatrically distributed sister damselflies that share similar ecological characteristics but differ markedly in wing coloration. The wings of P. m. dorothea are mostly clear, whereas those of P. m. mandarinus have a large area of black pigmentation and a central white patch. We investigated whether territorial males of the two damselflies at breeding sites display distinct agonistic behaviors associated with their respective wing colors. Behavioral interactions between territorial and intruder males and their wing kinematics were filmed and analyzed for P. m. dorothea in Lienhuachih of central Taiwan, and P. m. mandarinus in Tianxiyuan andFusan of northern Taiwan. We observed that the P. m. mandarinus males exhibited a novel set of perched wing displays, which was not only absent in its sister P. m. dorothea but also previously unknown in Odonata. At breeding sites, perched rival males of P. m. mandarinus with pigmented wings exhibited escalating agonistic wing-flapping and wing-hitting displays toward each other. In contrast, territorial males of P. m. dorothea with clear wings engaged only in aerial chase or face-to-face hovering when intruder males approached from the air. These results indicate that the two sister P. mandarinus damselflies diverged behaviorally in territorial contests and support the hypothesis of coadaptation on the basis of wing colors and types of wing movement in Odonata. Our findings further suggest that divergent agonistic wing displays may play a pivotal role in the speciation mechanism of P. mandarinus damselflies. The sequential analyses of behavioral characteristics and progression suggest that P. m. mandarinus damselflies likely use mutual assessment of rivals in territorial contests.

Aerodynamic Model Updating Using Wind-Tunnel Setup for Hummingbirdlike Flapping Wing Nanorobot

The complex wing motion of insects and small birds leads to high lift production in nature. Specific lift-enhancing mechanisms arise from the combination of a horizontal stroke motion and a secondary wing pitching motion. Research around flapping wing nano air vehicles (FWNAVs) copies this wing motion to fly small drones, in an effort to benefit from the same mechanisms. A flapping wing aerodynamic model can predict the force production of the FWNAV and helps to understand the influence of the wing kinematics thereon. This work starts from a quasi-steady model expression for the aerodynamics and proposes a wind-tunnel procedure to identify the force coefficients in the model empirically. The procedure is based on a test case performed by the AVT-202 research team that combines wing translation and wing rotation, imitating the aerodynamic condition of the flapping wing in a simplified setup. Comparison of measurements and model simulations demonstrates that the procedure can be used to update the model parameters for our specific FWNAV configuration, leading to an empirical relation for the force coefficients. Simulations with the updated model using the empirical relations show good agreement with measured force production for a wide range of input variables.

Asynchronous and Self‐Adaptive Flight Assembly via Electrostatic Actuation of Flapping Wings

About three quarters of flying insects on Earth use the asynchronous driving mechanism in muscles to power their flights. Herein, an asynchronous flight assembly via electrostatic actuation of flapping wings in analogy to the asynchronous mechanism in natural flying insects is demonstrated. The wing motions are driven by the self‐sustained oscillation of metal beams in a steady electric field and regulated by the input voltage between two stationary electrodes, whereas the discharging process occurs repetitively as the oscillating beams hit and exchange charges with the electrodes. Several advancements in the oscillation and flight demonstrations have been achieved: 1) self‐sustainable and asynchronous oscillations for biomimetic flapping‐wing motions with high efficiency, 2) the first takeoff of an asynchronous flight assembly along the fixed electrodes, and 3) the first self‐adaptive hovering assembly via the passive modulation of the flapping frequency and amplitude when a disturbance is introduced.

Elytra coupling of the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata functions as an energy absorber in intentional falls

Some insects, such as bees, wasps, and bugs, have specialized coupling structures to synchronize the wing motions in flight. Some others, such as ladybirds, are equipped with coupling structures that work only at rest. By locking elytra into each other, such structures provide hindwings with a protective cover to prevent contamination. Here, we show that the coupling may play another significant role: contributing to energy absorption in falls, thereby protecting the abdomen against mechanical damage. In this combined experimental, numerical and theoretical study, we investigated free falls of ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), and discovered that upon collision to the ground, the coupling may fail and the elytra may unlock. This unlocking of the coupling increased the energy absorption by 33%, in comparison to when the elytra remain coupled. Using micro-computed tomography scanning, we developed comparative models that enabled us to simulate impact scenarios numerically. Our results showed that unlocking of the coupling, here called elytra splitting, reduces both the peak impact force and rebound velocity. We fabricated the insect-inspired coupling mechanism using 3D printing and demonstrated its application as a damage preventing on system for quadcopters in accidental collisions.

Realisation and testing of novel fully articulated bird-inspired flapping wings for efficient and agile UAVs

AbstractLarge birds have evolved an effective wing anatomy and mechanics, enabling airborne mastery of manoeuvres and endurance. For these very reasons, they are difficult to replicate and study. The aim of the present work is to achieve active wing articulations to mimic natural bird flapping towards efficient and agile Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The proposed design, bio-mimicking the black-headed gull, Larus ridibundus, has three active and independent servo-controlled wing joints at the shoulder, elbow and wrist to achieve complex controls. The construction of the wing is realised through a polymeric skin and carbon fibre–epoxy composite spars and ribs. The wing movements (flapping, span reduction and twisting) envelopes of the full-scale robotic gull (Robogull) are examined using the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique and laser displacement sensing. Its aerodynamic performance was evaluated in a wind tunnel at various flapping parameters, wind speeds and angles of attack. It is observed that a flapping amplitude of 45 $^\circ$ is more favourable than 90 $^\circ$ for generating higher lift and thrust, while also depending on the presence of span reduction, twist and wind speed. The model performs better at a flying velocity of 4m/s as compared with 8m/s. Both lift and thrust are high at a higher flapping frequency of 2.5Hz. Combined variation of the flapping frequency and stroke ratio should be considered for better aerodynamic performance. The combination of a lower stroke ratio of 0.5 with a flapping frequency of 2.5Hz generates higher lift and thrust than other combinations. Span reduction and wing twist notably and independently enhance lift and thrust, respectively. An increase in the angle-of-attack increases lift but decreases thrust. The model can also generate a significant rolling moment when set at a bank angle of 20 $^\circ$ and operated with independently controlled flapping amplitudes for the wings (45 $^\circ$ for the left wing and 90 $^\circ$ for the right wing). Based on the optimal values for the flapping amplitude (45 $^\circ$ ), flapping frequency (2.5Hz) and flying velocity (4m/s), the Strouhal number (St) of the Robogull model is 0.24, lying in the optimal range ( $0.2 < \mathrm{St} < 0.4$ ) for natural flyers and swimmers.

Wing movements underlying sound production in calling, rivalry, and courtship songs of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (DeGeer)

We recorded the wing movements and sound signals during the production of calling, rivalry, and courtship song in the bispotted field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Recordings confirm that salient sound pulses during calling and rivalry song are generated during the closing movements of the wings. Wing movements for calling and rivalry song start from an elevated wing position and are performed with a very similar opening-closing movement, indicating that both types of songs may be generated by the same neuronal network. Wing movements for courtship song start from a low wing position; rapid closing movements generate high-frequency ticks and low-amplitude wing oscillations lead to low–amplitude pulses, generated during the opening and closing movements with a carrier frequency corresponding to the calling song. The two types of wing movements underlying courtship song indicate a different motor control as compared to calling song and may represent an early evolutionary phenotype.

State-space aerodynamic model reveals high force control authority and predictability in flapping flight.

Flying animals resort to fast, large-degree-of-freedom motion of flapping wings, a key feature that distinguishes them from rotary or fixed-winged robotic fliers with limited motion of aerodynamic surfaces. However, flapping-wing aerodynamics are characterized by highly unsteady and three-dimensional flows difficult to model or control, and accurate aerodynamic force predictions often rely on expensive computational or experimental methods. Here, we developed a computationally efficient and data-driven state-space model to dynamically map wing kinematics to aerodynamic forces/moments. This model was trained and tested with a total of 548 different flapping-wing motions and surpassed the accuracy and generality of the existing quasi-steady models. This model used 12 states to capture the unsteady and nonlinear fluid effects pertinent to force generation without explicit information of fluid flows. We also provided a comprehensive assessment of the control authority of key wing kinematic variables and found that instantaneous aerodynamic forces/moments were largely predictable by the wing motion history within a half-stroke cycle. Furthermore, the angle of attack, normal acceleration and pitching motion had the strongest effects on the aerodynamic force/moment generation. Our results show that flapping flight inherently offers high force control authority and predictability, which can be key to developing agile and stable aerial fliers.

Pausing after clap reduces power required to fling wings apart at low Reynolds number

The smallest flying insects, such as thrips (body length < 2 mm), are challenged with needing to move in air at a chord-based Reynolds number (Rec) of the order of 10. Pronounced viscous dissipation at such a low Rec requires considerable energetic expenditure for tiny insects to stay aloft. Thrips flap their densely bristled wings at large stroke amplitudes, bringing both wings in close proximity to each other at the end of upstroke (‘clap’) and moving their wings apart at the start of downstroke (‘fling’). From high-speed videos of free take-off flights of thrips, we observed that their forewings remain clapped for approximately 10% of the wingbeat cycle before the start of downstroke (fling stroke). We sought to examine if there are aerodynamic advantages associated with pausing wing motion after upstroke (clap stroke) and before downstroke (fling stroke) at Rec = 10. A dynamically scaled robotic clap and fling platform was used to measure lift and drag forces generated by physical models of solid (non-bristled) and bristled wings in single wing and wing pair configurations, for pause times ranging between 0% to 41% of the cycle. For solid and bristled wing pairs, pausing before the start of downstroke (fling stroke) dissipated vorticity generated at the end of upstroke (clap stroke). This resulted in a decrease in the drag coefficient averaged across downstroke (fling stroke) and in turn reduced power requirements. Also, increasing the pause time resulted in a larger decrease in the dimensionless power coefficient for the wing-pair configurations compared to the single-wing configurations. Our findings show that wing–wing interaction observed in the clap and fling motion of tiny insect wings is necessary to realize the aerodynamic benefits of pausing before fling, by reducing the power required to clap and fling for a small compromise in lift.

A new extended state observer for uncertain nonlinear systems

Extended state observer (ESO) is a class of high-gain observers and a powerful tool for output feedback control of uncertain nonlinear systems. In this paper, we propose a new ESO design technique which is based on cascading a series of first-order ESOs. Benefited from the cascade design, saturations can be inserted into the observer internal variables to limit the maximal implemented gain. The convergence of the new ESO with a class of nonlinear gain functions is established, and it is shown that adopting appropriate nonlinear gain mechanisms leads to improvement in measurement noise tolerance. What is more, the new ESO based output feedback control has stronger uncertainty estimation and compensation capability than the standard ESO based output feedback control. Specifically, the proposed approach only relies on the knowledge of the control direction of the uncertain nonlinear system. Finally, the obtained results are applied to suppress the wing rock motion of a slender delta wing.

Vygotsky’s decolonial pedagogical legacy in the 21st century: back to the future

ABSTRACT This largely theoretical paper traces the continued influence that the work of Vygotsky has in studying teaching/learning in schools. The advent of the 21st century has led to a call for novel pedagogical models to enable children think in ways pertinent to our technologically based societies. Currently, the 4th Industrial revolution is playing out against the backdrop of climate change, a rise in right wing movements, and a call for decolonial education to challenge the hegemony of a colonial worldview. This paper presents an argument for how Vygotsky and the Neo-Vygotskian’s work does not require a novel pedagogy, but rather, that we reclaim its relevance for the 21st century, illustrating how the concepts underpinning it can be used to decolonize contemporary pedagogy. The paper foregrounds aspects of Vygotsky’s work and draws on Hedegaard’s further developments to argue for a decolonial pedagogy that arises from this knowledge base. The problematic addressed in this paper relates to schooling in the 4th Industrial Revolution and suggests that schooling today must be about more than the acquisition of academic content; it must be geared toward developing critical, collaborative forms of thought capable of transforming both the child and the world. In this paper, I argue for the foundation of such a schooling in the work of Vygotsky and the Neo-Vygotskians, by articulating a decolonial pedagogy grounded on this body of work.

COMPARISON STUDY ON THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE ABUTMENTS

Abutment performance suggestively impacts the seismic response of bridge constructions. This research investigates the dynamic performance of reinforced concrete abutments in the actual bridge construction with the consequence of the wing wall and movement constraint. The concrete box girder bridge's analytical model was implemented from the actual bridge in Japan, with the numerical model was performed by a 3D finite element model in ABAQUS software. Four distinct abutment modeling approaches were carried out, including abutment without wing wall as Type 1, an ordinary abutment form in Japan as Type 2, abutment with the entire wing wall as Type 3, and the proposed model Type 4. Comparison study will be taken for different positions of input ground acceleration, which were applied horizontally at the bottom of the pier and abutments as Type A, and at the bottom of the pier as Type B. The input seismic motion was Level 2 Type 2 with ground Type I. The results confirmed that the input seismic ground acceleration position resulted in the different response on shear stress and response stress of abutment. The response stress of abutment with 20 cm of the gap is less than 10 cm. Besides, abutment Type 4 has the capability of resisting the flexural load due to strong ground motion.

Kinematic characteristics of longitudinal double folding wings

ABSTRACTA folding wing is a tactical missile launching device that needs to be miniaturised to facilitate storage, transportation, and launching; save missile and transportation space; and improve the combat capability of weapon systems. This study investigates the aeroelastic characteristics of the secondary longitudinal folding wing during the unfolding process. First, the Lagrange equation is used to establish the structural dynamics model of the folding wing, the kinematics characteristics during the deformation process are analysed, and the unfolding movement of the folding wing is obtained using the dynamic equations in the process. Then, the generalised unsteady aerodynamic force is calculated using the dipole grid method, and the multi-body dynamics equation of the folding wing is obtained. The initial angular velocity required for the deployment of the folding wing is analysed through structural model simulation, and the influence of the initial angular velocity on the opening process is studied. Finally, aeroelastic flutter analysis is performed on the folding wing, and the physical model of the folding wing verified experimentally. Results show that the type of aeroelastic response is sensitive to the initial conditions and the way the folding wing opens.

Wing Coupling in Bees and Wasps: From the Underlying Science to Bioinspired Engineering.

Wing‐to‐wing coupling mechanisms synchronize motions of insect wings and minimize their aerodynamic interference. Albeit they share the same function, their morphological traits appreciably vary across groups. Here the structure–material–function relationship of wing couplings of nine castes and species of Hymenoptera is investigated. It is shown that the springiness, robustness, and asymmetric behavior augment the functionality of the coupling by reducing stress concentrations and minimizing the impacts of excessive flight forces. A quantitative link is established between morphological variants of the coupling mechanisms and forces to which they are subjected. Inspired by the coupling mechanisms, a rotating‐sliding mechanical joint that withstands tension and compression and can also be locked/unlocked is fabricated. This is the first biomimetic research of this type that integrates approaches from biology and engineering.

Design and analysis of an innovative flapping wing micro aerial vehicle with a figure eight wingtip trajectory

Abstract. A multi-mode flapping wing micro air vehicle (FWMAV) that uses a figure eight wingtip motion trajectory with wing flapping, rotation, and swing motion is presented in this paper. The flapping wing vehicle achieves three active degrees of freedom (DOF) wing movements only with one driving micromotor which has a good balance in the mechanism design (that is inspired by natural fliers) and total weight. Owing to these characteristics being integrated into the simple mechanism design, the aerodynamic force is improved. The aerodynamic performance of the thrust force is improved by 64.3 % compared to one that could only flap up and down with one active DOF under the condition of routine flapping frequency.

Reliability Evaluation for Cable-Spring Folding Wing Considering Synchronization of Deployable Mechanism

The cable-spring folding wing is a novel type of rigid-flexible coupling structure for missiles, which is composed of several sets of deployable mechanisms, with each composed of a wheel-rope transmission system and a parallel spring driving mechanism. The movement of the cable is initiated by the driving force produced by parallel springs, which directly changes the magnitude and the distribution of the driving force. Therefore, the cable-spring folding wing system has the typical characteristics of strong nonlinearity and motion coupling. In addition, each deployable mechanism shares an identical structure, but the distribution of motion parameters is discrepant due to external loads. Asynchronous movement of the cable-spring folding wing will occur and become a significant issue, which is detrimental to the working performance and could even lead to failure. Focusing on these problems, the multi-body dynamics theoretical model and simulation model of deployable mechanism are established, the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of critical components are studied, and the key factors affecting the deployment performance are investigated. A new reliability method with an angular precision control for deployable mechanism is proposed based on the theoretical model. The effectiveness of the proposed model and method is verified by comparing it with the Monte Carlo method. On this basis, the reliability evaluation for cable-spring folding wing, comprehensively considering deployment performance and synchronization, is carried out.