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Design for Generating Efficient Lift in an Ornithopter 

Sponsored by ATA Engineering Inc.

Completed by students of UCSD

Project Background:

Millions of years have culminated in the myriad of life that thrives on Earth today. Over this enormous amount of time, nature has been able to not only overcome the various challenges that come with surviving, but has also been able to optimize these survival techniques. For this reason, bio-inspired designs are of big interest to engineers worldwide. ATA Engineering Inc., a leading independent company for aircraft analysis, has thus funded an endeavor to research the intricate mechanics of flight through flapping.

Objective:

The primary goal of the ATA Flapping Machine project was to design, fabricate, test, and deliver a flapping wing machine that can demonstrate positive lift when powered. This project required skills and knowledge in mechanical design, structure dynamics, fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, machining, and bio-inspired research and design. The start of the project was devoted to the research of bird flight and existing ornithopter designs. The results of this research led into the concept generation and rapid prototyping of multiple wing designs which were then tested and compared with one another using a linkage mechanism and data collection system put together by the team.

Requirements:

Design, fabricate, and deliver a lightweight linkage mechanism that mimics the motion of bird flight. This system will be incorporated into an ornithopter (flying bird machine) that will develop positive lift when powered. Specific project objectives:

❏ Research bird flight physics and existing ornithopter wing designs

❏ Develop conceptual wing designs to be evaluated and critiqued by ATA

❏ Design the lightweight linkage mechanism to achieve a wing flapping motion profile

❏ Fabricate the wing mechanism (2 wings) and a body structure that the wings will attach to. This body must be able to self-react all internal forces, meaning the motors and wings will not be connected to any external objects outside the body.

❏ Incorporate motors and electronics that can be provided by ATA/UCSD

❏ Develop a systems-level design summary for future project phases

❏ Demonstrate the flapping wing machine can produce positive lift

NOTE: Positive lift implies the net upward force is greater than zero, not necessarily greater than the static weight of the ornithopter.

Deliverables:

- Deliver conclusions made from bird flight research

- Deliver a wing linkage mechanism that provides positive lift through flapping motion

- Deliver a body to attach wings and house motor(s) and controls.

- Deliver a test set up that allows for quantitative comparisons between wing designs

Wing Designs: