Optimal wing rotation angle by the unsteady blade element theory for maximum translational force generation in insect-mimicking flapping-wing micro air vehicle

This paper provides a parametric study to obtain the optimal wing rotation angle for the generation of maximum translational force in an insect-mimicking Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle (FWMAV) during hovering. The blade element theory and momentum theory were combined to obtain the equation from which the translational aerodynamic force could be estimated. This equation was converted into a non-dimensional form, so that the effect of normalized parameters on the thrust coefficient could be analyzed. The research showed that the thrust coefficient for a given wing section depends on two factors, the rotation angle of the wing section and the ratio of the chord to the travel distance of the wing section in one flapping cycle. For each ratio that we investigated, we could arrive at an optimal rotation angle corresponding to a maximum thrust coefficient. This study may be able to provide guidance for the FWMAV design.