Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-54qdv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-09T18:46:41.387Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Wing flapping with minimum energy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

R. T. Jones
R. T. Jones*
Affiliation:
Ames Research Center, NASA Moffett Field, California
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The interesting article by Archer, Sapuppo and Betteridge leads to the problem of determining the optimum lift distribution along the wing during flapping motion. Adopting the assumptions made in Ref. 1, the problem may be reduced to one of minimising the induced drag for a specified, periodically varying, bending moment at the wing root. The wing-root bending moment should be of primary importance to a bird or, for that matter, to a mechanical flapping-machine, since it is at this point that most of the flapping energy is introduced.

Information

Type
Technical Note
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 84 , Issue 834 , July 1980 , pp. 214 - 217
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1980 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1. Archer, R. D., Sapuppo, J. and Betteridge, D. S. Propulsion characteristics of flapping wings. Aeronautical Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, September 1979.Google Scholar
2. Jones, R. T. The spanwise distribution of lift for minimum induced drag of wings having a given lift and a given bending moment. NACA TN 2249, 1950.Google Scholar
3. Betteridge, D. S. and Archer, R. D. A study of the mechanics of flapping wings. Aeronautical Quarterly, May 1974.Google Scholar
4. Dalton, Stephen. The miracle of flight. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1977.Google Scholar