Design of flapping mechanisms based on transverse bending phenomena in insects

In this paper, we investigate designs of flapping mechanisms that allow high amplitude and high frequency of flapping. The mechanism utilizes springs and passive flapping, a concept motivated from the study of wing motion of insects and hummingbirds. The mechanisms simulate transverse bending effect of insect wings to achieve high flapping amplitudes. Different configurations of flapping mechanism are studied using dynamic simulations and quasi-steady aerodynamics. Apart from high amplitude, the results show that higher lift can be generated using these designs