Designing Bio-mimetic Ornithopter capable of Sustained and Controlled Flight

Abstract

This paper represents the successful development of Flapping MAV, which nowadays interested and developed by colleges and research laboratories worldwide. Our MAV research team made our first step on this field in late 2004 and have participated in several International MAV competition until now. For 3 years of research and development, it is certain that we are now in the leading group of Flapping MAV development area around the world and here you can find the two divided research proceedings and results to prove it. The paper also discusses the comparison data of efficiency between different types of subsystems such as gearbox and tail shape. It also contains specification and analysis on 4 different types of ornithopter which enables you to get a big picture of our research. The latest and current ornithopter model is radio-controlled and is capable of takeoff and landing with vision sensor mounted. We also concentrated on its wing efficiency based on designing from real insect wing. In addition, the development procedures as well as decision making steps is discussed, ranging from wing shape design and transmission design with experiment and result data which could support our development.