Simulation of flight control of a hummingbird like robot near hover

Abstract eng:
Interest in Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) capable of hovering is gradually increasing because they can be a low-cost solution for security applications or remote inspection. Much research has centred on designs inspired by insects and hummingbirds, where the propellers are replaced by flapping wings. It is assumed that that flapping wings improve, at small scales, both manoeuvrability and energy efficiency. This numerical work based on quasi-steady aerodynamics applies to a hummingbird robot with a pair of flapping wings and a 12 cm wingspan. We construct a control derivatives matrix that estimates the effect of each wing kinematics parameter on the cycle averaged wing forces and forms the key stone of the flight controller. We implement the controller in a simulation model with rigid body dynamics and ”continuous” (i.e. not averaged) aerodynamics. The simulation results show that the controller stabilizes the robot attitude and controls the flight in 4 DOF (translation in any direction + yaw rotation) by modifying only 2 wing kinematic parameters per wing - the flapping amplitude and the mean wing position. Other control parameters are possible. Thus, various mechanical design solutions can be studied in the future.

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