Insect Wing Bionic Morphology in Ultralight UAV Design

Ge Zhang
Henan University of Technology, China

Abstract:

In order to optimize the aerodynamic performance of an ultralight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the structural characteristics, aerodynamic mechanism and biomechanical properties of the wing are studied with reference to the bionic morphology of the insect wing, so as to construct a bionic wing with rigid-flexible coupling characteristics. We analyze the chord ratio, wing vein distribution and leading-edge stiffness of different insect wings to explore their effects on lift generation and flow stability, and realize the lightweighting and deformation control of the wing based on the biomimetic optimization algorithm and advanced composite materials. Wind tunnel experiments and flight tests show that the bionic wing has a higher lift-to-drag ratio under low Reynolds number conditions, reduces energy consumption by about 18.3%, improves wind resistance by 50%, enhances maneuverability and optimizes flight stability. Compared with the traditional rigid wing, the bionic design shows better aerodynamic adaptability, providing theoretical and technical support for the efficient flight of UAVs.