Three small scale flapping mechanisms capable of single plane flapping, flapping with active pitch control, and

flapping/pitch with out-of-plane movement were designed using SolidWorks air bearings Mylar aerodynamics, micro-electronics, sensors, micro-electromechanical systems, and micromanufacturing Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) According to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a MAV is a highly maneuverable aerial robot that has a maximum dimension or 150 mm and a gross weight of 100 grams bio-chemical sensing, targeting, tracking, deployment of small payloads to remote locations, along with many others we cannot even imagine today low cost, low weight, little to no logistical footprint, mission versatility, range, endurance, stealth, and precision remain relatively stationary, or hover, for any length of time. low Reynolds number flowfield characteristics The two primary 1 methods for achieving hovering flight on a small scale are accomplished by either rotary or flapping wings. There is no clear cut frontrunner as to which of the two methods would better lend itself to a MAV, however, it is known for helicopters that efficiency and the ability to tolerate wind gusts diminish as scale decreases On the other hand, one promising factor for a flapping-wing mechanism is that animals rely on the same principle to accomplish hovering flight in nature aerodynamic issues, designers will have to deal with complex wing kinematics, weight and volume constraints for actuators and power supplies, high propulsive power-to-weight ratio requirements, and the ability to operate in a wide range of environments It is clear that no man-made MAV has matched the performance and flying qualities of many small birds and insects found in nature. For this reason, it is no surprise that nature serves as an effective tool to study how a flapping-wing MAV should operate. There are two primary methods for hovering exhibited in nature, one type can be seen with a hummingbird and the other a dragonfly

The issue of what type of airflow a MAV will operate in, whether it be either turbulent or laminar, is dependent on the design and operating conditions photogrammetry