Mass and aerodynamic properties characterization of a non-linearly damped flapping mechanism

• Main Author: Lim, Qing Long
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Mechanics and dynamics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61329
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This work aims at the experimental estimations of wing's aerodynamic and mass properties of a motor-driven flapper which is subjected to nonlinear aerodynamic damping in its operation. Analytical model is built to express the dynamics of the flapping mechanism and static experiments are carried out to acquire the wing kinematics as well as forces and torques exerted by the tethered flapper in 3D space. Least square method is used to solve the analytical model with the experimental data as the inputs to obtain the aforementioned properties. The results are compared to reference values obtained from CAD model, datasheet, or theoretical model, showing relatively good estimations of mass properties yet inaccurate aerodynamic ones.