The objective of this project is to design, fabricate and test a Flapping Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) with hovering capability. The MAV is designed to bio-mimic hummingbird flight, in which the wings flap in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal. Aerodynamic lift is created from the interaction between the wings and the vortex generated by the previous stroke (wake-capture motion). The team designed, manufactured and assembled an initial static prototype. The final design is characterized by a wing span of 36 cm and a weight of 41 g. The wings have been manufactured using monokote reinforced with carbon fiber, while the chassis and drive train have been 3-D printed based on thermoplastics.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Jennette, Trae Lee
• Firenze, Andrew Joseph
• Srishankar, Nishan

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-030614-020404

Advisor

• Chierichetti, Maria
• Demetriou, Michael A.

Year

• 2014

Date created

• 2014-03-06

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Aerospace Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright