The effect of clap-and-fling on two-winged flapping flight

There is great interest in the field of bio-mimicry to imitate the flapping motion of insect wings. These naturally occurring systems have been perfected over millennia of evolution and therefore provide an excellent reference point for Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) propulsion. Insect flapping wings come in many varieties and with several nuances. One such specification is the Clap-and-Fling (CF) motion wherein the wings meet at the highest upstroke point. This mechanism is hypothesised to produce more thrust, which is highly desirable. The focus of this project has therefore been on verifying the validity of this proposition. Firstly, five prototypes of equal dimensions as well as 3 pairs of wings of varying size were fabricated. A comprehensive experiment was then conducted to test these prototypes across varying wing sizes, with and without the CF condition. The results of these tests were analysed and collated into simple graphs against different variables such as power and frequency. It has been found that the CF condition does indeed increase the thrust produced significantly and that it also reduces power consumption in the process. The positive findings of this experiment therefore pave the way for further testing and implementation into CF as a viable means of thrust maximisation.Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Engineering