Investigating the design characteristics and parameter laws of bird-like flapping-wing aerial vehicles from the perspective of scaling.

Abstract

Bird-like flapping-wing aerial vehicles (BFAVs) represent a significant advancement in the application of bird biology to aircraft design, with scaling analysis serving as an effective tool for identifying this design process. From the perspective of aviation designers, this paper systematically organizes the scaling laws of birds that are closely related to the design of BFAVs. An intriguing topic further explored is the comparison between birds and BFAVs from the standpoint of scaling, along with an examination of the differences in relevant design parameters. This analysis aims to enhance communication between biologists and engineers, ultimately fostering the development of improved bionic systems. By introducing the concept of periodic average angular velocity, both frequency and amplitude are uniformly considered, providing a clearer explanation of the design characteristics of BFAVs. Finally, a method for establishing the initial parameters based on the scaling laws of BFAVs is proposed, and its effectiveness is validated through design cases, offering a novel approach for the development of new prototypes.