Flapping-wing Aircraft Tail Of The Analysis And Design Methods

After more than ten years development, the research of Flapping-wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (FMAV) has got a lot achievements; the next step is to make it be applicable. At the same time, the research methodology has changed from study and analysis to design and synthesize. Flight control technology is one of the key technologies to achieve applicable of FMAV. Empennage is the critical component of FMAV flight control, for the stability and control of FMAV totally rely on the empennage. Therefore, the characteristics, the influence on the stability and control, as well as the design theories of the FMAV empennage are studied here.First, the basic aerodynamic characteristics of FMAV were studied by a series of wind tunnel tests. The trends of the aerodynamic force and moment which vary with the angle of attack, flapping frequency and freestream velocity, were investigated. The test model was computed using aerodynamic computational software developed specifically for FMAV, the results agree well with the test data. The periodical ups-and-downs and pitching kinetic characteristics of the FMAV during the flight were studied basing on the test data, to obtain some basic knowledge. The influence of empennage on the aerodynamic characteristics and the kinetic characteristics of the FMAV were discussed.The stability and control of FMAV was studied theoretically, the significance of the empennage was indicated. Some wind tunnel tests about the empennage were performed, to study the basic aerodynamic characteristics of empennage, the influence of wing wakes and empennage positions on it, and the difference between different empennages. Some problems which should be paid attention to during the design of empennage were discussed.On the basis of these researches, this dissertation summarized the design methodology and process of the FMAV empennage. The choosing of different empennage types, arrangement and geometry parameters of empennage, as well as problems in different design phases, were discussed. Requirements during the design of empennage were enumerated, design and fabricate efforts which could satisfy these Requirements were studied. The weightiness of the requirements was discussed, which could give advice to the design tradeoff.