Deterministic Global Optimization of Flapping Wing Motion for Micro Air Vehicles

Ghommem, Mehdi and Hajj, Muhammad R. and Watson, Layne T. and Mook, Dean T. and Snyder, Richard D. and Beran, Philip S. (2010) Deterministic Global Optimization of Flapping Wing Motion for Micro Air Vehicles. Technical Report TR-10-18, Computer Science and Mathematics, Virginia Tech.

Abstract

The kinematics of a flapping plate is optimized by combining the unsteady vortex lattice method with a deterministic global optimization algorithm. The design parameters are the amplitudes, the mean values, the frequencies, and the phase angles of the flapping motion. The results suggest that imposing a delay between the different oscillatory motions and controlling the way through which the wing rotates at the end of each half stroke would enhance the lift generation. The use of a general unsteady numerical aerodynamic model (UVLM) and the implementation of a deterministic global optimization algorithm provide guidance and a baseline for future efforts to identify optimal stroke trajectories for micro air vehicles with higher fidelity models.