Phase II Final Report - NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts

Chapter 3.0 Vehicle Design
3.1 Wing Sizing
range of wing lengths, flapping frequencies, flapping angles, and flight velocities. The ranges of
these values used to generate this design space are given in Table 3-1.
Table 3-1: Entomopter Parameters and Design Space Ranges
Parameter
Range
Flight Velocity
Flapping Frequency
Wing Length
Maximum Flapping Angle
Relative Lifting Capacity
2 to 30 m/s
1 to 30 Hz
0.3 to 1.0 m
35 o to 85 o
0.5 to 2.0 kg
Figures B-1 through B-41 in Appendix B show the power required and relative lifting capacity
of the Entomopter over this complete design space. The first eight of these figures in Appendix
B (Figures B-1 through B-8) correlate the power required by the Entomopter to a flapping frequency
for various wing lengths and flapping angles. These first eight figures are meant to be
used as a means of determining the flapping frequency for Figures B-9 through B-41 in Appendix
B for the various conditions presented in these graphs. From the data shown in these figures
a design point was chosen. (see Figure B-23 in Appendix B.) This design point represents a realistic
operating configuration for the Entomopter. The specifications for the design point are
shown in Table 3-2.
Table 3-2: Design Point Operational Characteristics
Parameter
Value
Flight Velocity
Flapping Frequency
Wing Length
Maximum Flapping Angle
Relative Lifting Capacity
Power Required
Fuel Consumption Rate
14 m/s
6 Hz
0.6 m
75 o
1.5 kg
883 W
0.011 kg / min.
These figures show that to fly slower power must increase exponentially. Therefore, to slow
down to a near stop and land the Entomopter would require a significant increase in power. Producing
these high power levels is not a practical approach to landing the Entomopter. Additional
techniques can be used to reduce speed and get the Entomopter on the ground without such a
dramatic increase in power. A potential landing sequence is shown in Figure 3-9.
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