System Identification of the Delfly Nimble: Modeling of the Lateral Body Dynamics

Flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAV's) are a subcategory of unmanned aerial vehicle which use flapping wings for thrust generation. The high agility and maneuverability of FWMAV's are very favorable attributes, making them more applicable in cluttered spaces. A tailless FWMAV called the Delfly Nimble has been developed at the Delft...

A minimal longitudinal dynamic model of a tailless flapping wing robot

Tailless flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs) have<br/>the potential of providing efficient flight at small scale,<br/>with considerable agility. However, this agility also brings<br/>significant control challenges, which are exacerbated by<br/>the fact that the aerodynamics and dynamics of flapping<br/>wing robots are still only partly...

Studying the effect of the tail on the dynamics of a flapping-wing MAV

The effects of horizontal tail geometry and position on longitudinal flapping-wing micro aerial vehicle dynamics were studied using wind tunnel and free-flight experiments. Linearised models were used to analyse the effect on the dynamic properties of the ornithopter. Results show higher steady-state velocity and increased pitch damping for...

Attitude control- and stabilisation moment generation of the DelFly using Wing Tension Modulation