Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering

Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering

Design, Dynamic Modeling, and Neural Network Optimization of a Dragonfly-Inspired Micro Aerial Vehicle for Maximum Lift-to-Drag Ratio

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
1 MSc. Aerospace Engineering, Aerial structures, Faculty of Mechanics, Ahrar University, Rasht ,Iran
2 MSc. Student in Aerospace Engineering ,Faculty of Aerospace, Semnan University, Iran
3 3. Department of Dynamics, Control, and Vibrations, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
Abstract
Drawing inspiration from the complex flight mechanics of dragonflies, this study presents the design, modeling, and aerodynamic optimization of a highly maneuverable micro aerial vehicle (MAV). A functional prototype was fabricated using 3D printing technology. The MAV’s flight dynamics were modeled via the Lagrangian approach, and the governing equations of motion were systematically derived. To assess the aerodynamic behavior, fluid flow around the wing was simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics, allowing for a detailed analysis of pressure and velocity distributions along the wing surface. A multilayer artificial neural network was developed and trained using data from computational fluid dynamics simulations to optimize the wing geometry for maximum lift-to-drag ratio. The trained model accurately predicts aerodynamic performance across a range of wing configurations. Simulation results confirm that the optimized design significantly outperforms existing wing models in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. This research contributes to the advancement of bio-inspired MAVs with potential applications in surveillance, search and rescue operations, and biological exploration.
Keywords
Subjects

[1] H. Vatandoost, "Dragonflies as an important aquatic predator insect and their potential for control of vectors of different diseases," Journal of Marine Science, vol. 3, no. 3, 2021, https://doi.org/10.30564/jms.v3i3.3397.
[2] E. Salami, T. A. Ward, E. Montazer, and N. N. N. Ghazali, "A review of aerodynamic studies on dragonfly flight," Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, vol. 233, no. 18, pp. 6519-6537, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954406219861133.
[3] R. A. Cannings, "The dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) of Canadian grasslands," Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands, vol. 3, pp. 231-269, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.3752/9780968932162.ch8.
[4] K. G. Zurlytė, R. Gaidys, and B. Narijauskaite, "Biomechanical study of the wing of the dragonfly Aeshna Cyanea," Mechanics, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 270-278, 2024,  https://doi.org/10.5755/j02.mech.36178.
[5] C. Suárez‐Tovar, R. Guillermo‐Ferreira, I. Cooper, R. Cezário, and A. Córdoba‐Aguilar, "Dragon colors: The nature and function of Odonata (dragonfly and damselfly) coloration," Journal of Zoology, vol. 317, no. 1, pp. 1-9, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12963.
[6] A. Hajiloo, H. Shokohi, M. Ashtiani, and M. Ahadi, "Investigating the role of small birds in future wars," Strategic Defense Studies, vol. 20, no. 87, pp. 159-182, 2022, (in Persian), https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.20084897.1401.20.87.7.3.
[7] J. Schmidhuber, "Deep learning in neural networks: An overview," Neural Networks, vol. 61, pp. 85-117, 2015,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neunet.2014.09.003.
[8] P. E. J. Duhamel, N. O. Pérez-Arancibia, G. L. Barrows, and R. J. Wood, "Altitude feedback control of a flapping-wing microrobot using an on-board biologically inspired optical flow sensor," in 2012 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2012, pp. 4228-4235, https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA.2012.6225313.
[9] F. Van Breugel, W. Regan, and H. Lipson, "From insects to machines," IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 68-74, 2008, Https://Doi.Org/10.1109/MRA.2008.929923.
[10] Z. X. Li, W. Shen, G. S. Tong, J. M. Tian, and L. Vu-Quoc, "On the vein-stiffening membrane structure of a dragonfly hind wing," Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 72-81, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A0820211.
[11] R. J. Wood, S. Avadhanula, R. Sahai, E. Steltz, and R. S. Fearing, "Microrobot design using fiber reinforced composites," Journal of Mechanical Design, vol. 130, no. 5, 2008, Art. no. 052304,  https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2885509.
[12] C. Dileo and X. Deng, "Design of and experiments on a dragonfly-inspired robot," Advanced Robotics, vol. 23, no. 7-8, pp. 1003-1021, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1163/156855309X443160.
[13] S. P. Sane and M. H. Dickinson, "The aerodynamic effects of wing rotation and a revised quasi-steady model of flapping flight," Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 205, no. 8, pp. 1087-1096, 2002, https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.205.8.1087.
[14] D. A. Peters, S. Karunamoorthy, and W. M. Cao, "Finite state induced flow models. I-Two-dimensional thin airfoil," Journal of Aircraft, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 313-322, 1995, https://doi.org/10.2514/3.46718.
[15] X. Deng, L. Schenato, W. C. Wu, and S. S. Sastry, "Flapping flight for biomimetic robotic insects: Part I-system modeling," IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 776-788, 2006, https://doi.org/10.1109/TRO.2006.875480.
[16] J. Wakeling and C. P. Ellington, "Dragonfly flight: I. gliding flight and steady-state aerodynamic forces," Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 200, no. 3, pp. 543-556, 1997, https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.200.3.543.
[17] P. Szabo, G. H. McKinley, and C. Clasen, "Constant force extensional rheometry of polymer solutions," Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, vol. 169, pp. 26-41, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnnfm.2011.11.003.
[18] T. X. Fan, S. K. Chow, and D. Zhang, "Biomorphic mineralization: From biology to materials," Progress in Materials Science, vol. 54, no. 5, pp. 542-659, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2009.02.001.
[19] Z. Hu, B. Cheng, and X. Deng, "Lift generation and flow measurements of a robotic insect," in 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, 2012, Paper 2011-1311, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2011-1311.
[20]  H. Ma et al., "HiFly-dragon: A dragonfly inspired flapping flying robot with modified, resonant, direct-driven flapping mechanisms," Drones, vol. 8, no. 4, 2024, Art. no. 126, https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8040126.
[21] H. Wang, Z. Cui, and T. Xu, "A study on design of dragonfly flapping wing micro air vehicle system," in International Conference on Electrical Drives, Power Electronics and Engineering (EDPEE), 2024: IEEE, pp. 252-258, https://doi.org/10.1109/EDPEE61724.2024.00055.
[22] I. Shafieenejad, M. R. B. Dehkordi, and M. Amin, "A review of the application of optimization algorithms nature inspired in the design of flight paths," Technology in Aerospace Engineering, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 75-99, 2024, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22034/jtae.2024.8.3.6.
[23] S. H. Pourtakdoust and A. Khodabakhsh, "Modeling and Simulation of nonlinear dynamics using physics-informed deep neural networks," Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 25-36, 2023, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22034/jtae.2023.6.4.3.
[24] M. H. Moghimi Esfandabadi and M. H. Javareshkian, "Design and optimization of the wing fence of a lambda-shaped aircraft model to reduce the rolling moment coefficient," Journal of Technology in Aerospace Engineering, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 13-25, 2024, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22034/jtae.2024.8.2.2.

  • Receive Date 18 November 2024
  • Revise Date 24 December 2024
  • Accept Date 04 January 2025
  • First Publish Date 10 March 2025