Study of the stability and flight control of the flying insects in turbulent flow field

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24560191
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fluid engineering
• Research Institution: Toyohashi University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: IIDA Akiyoshi 豊橋技術科学大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (30338272)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: MAV / 乱流 / 生物流体 / 空力制御 / ＰＩＶ計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Flight performance and stability of insects’ flight in atmospheric turbulence were studied with a mechanical flapper and active turbulence generator. The results showed that the flight with flapping wings is more stable than that of the other flight systems such as rotational wings and fixed airfoils. Moreover, it was found formation flight of small insects is very stable in turbulence flow fields. This is because flapping wings generate large separated flow, it is not influenced the formation flight and incoming turbulence. It is very stable against disturbances. This is significantly different from the flight utilizing a lift forces such as airplanes. For small insects such as a dragonfly, the benefit of formation flights is small, it is important to be able to fly alone in turbulence flow fields.

Free Research Field

流体力学