Experimental and Numerical Results of a Flapping Wing Four Bar Mechanism

Abstract

This paper explores the design and testing of a flapping wing four-bar mechanism. A four-bar linkage system kinematic analysis is introduced for flapping wing motion. Four-bar mechanism is activated by a servo motor which is driven by microcontroller. The wing undergoes a pure flapping motion at a fixed pitch angle. Force measurements are performed for hover mode by using a force transducer. In addition, 3D numerical analyses are performed and the results are compared with the experimental measurements. Overall, CFD results show good agreement with the experimental data. © 2017 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.