Chapter 12

Bio-mimicking MAVs Based on Insect

Flight Studies

N. Chari, Prasad Mukkavilli, and A. G. Sarwade

Abstract A micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) has characters common with biological

fliers within reasonable weight limits. For biomimicking MAVs, weight range, size,

aspectratio, wing design, lift to drag (L/D) ratio, speed, wingbeat frequency, landing

and takeoff, low Re and autopilot systems have to be selected carefully. The insect

geometry can be scaled up to 2 or 3 times for an MAV. Insects use different methods

of navigation. A simple autopilot with an OBC is a must to measure pitch, yaw and

related parameters. Based on the available flight data, the design of experimental

biomimicking MAV is discussed. The important components considered for design

are; the shape of the MAV, Antennas for transmission and receiving the signals,

cameras, gyros, accelerometers (x, y, z) and GPS receivers for navigation, flapping

flexible wings with low frequency, Mass (low), wing span loading, and Resilin like

elastomers at the wing joint to thorax.

Keywords Low mass · Ar · L/D ratio · Acceterometers · Autopilot

Overview

A Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) has many common characters with biological fliers

such as insects, birds and bats within a reasonable weight limits. We have insects

where weight ranges from 10 μg to about 60 gm and the birds weighing from 2 gm

to 20 kg. Being nocturnal fliers having complex navigation bats are not considered

for MAV design. Some of the common bioaerodynamic features of biological fliers,

which could help us in understanding the design of MAVs are considered in the

following sections.

N. Chari (B)

Kakatiya University, Warangel, Telangana, India

P. Mukkavilli

SNIST, Hyderabad, India

A. G. Sarwade

MRCET, Hyderabad, India

DRDL, Hyderabad, India

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021

N. Chari et al. (eds.), Biophysics of Insect Flight, Springer Series in Biophysics 22,

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5184-7_12

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