Remotely controlled flight of an insect-like tailless Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicle

In this paper, we report recent takeoff test of a tailless Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicle (FW-MAV) that mimics flight of a real beetle (Allomyrina Dichotoma). The flapping-wing mechanism was designed to transfer the rotational motion from the installed motor to large flapping wing motions through a combination of the slider-crank and pulley-string mechanisms. To implement the “clap-fling” effect, the flapping mechanism was modified to create a flapping angle of 190°. The FW-MAV can generate thrust of from 18 to 22 gram while flapping the wings at a flapping frequency of 23 to 26Hz. By using stabilizers installed at the top and bottom, the FW-MAV can maintain the body in flight in few seconds. Two linear servos are used to control the root of the wings at the trailing-edge for pitch and yaw controls during flight.