Flapping-Wing Technology: The Potential for Air Vehicle Propulsion and Airborne Power Generation
FREE-DOWNLOADMF Platzer, J Young 26th Congress of the , 2008
. Therefore, systems to exploit this power source will require a merging of the aeronautical
and power engineering technologies in the form of developing flying electric generators.
4.2 Current Status of Flying Electric Generator (FEG) Technology .
Birds, insects, fish, and cetaceans have evolved and used flapping-wing systems for thrust and lift production for years. Flapping wing propulsion is considered to be much more efficient and manoeuvrable at the scale of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAV) and has recently become a subject of intensive research. The potential of applying flapping wing technology developed for a MAV configuration to High-Altitude LongEndurance (HALE) Vehicle is highlighted. Simple estimates, supported by preliminary Navier-Stokes calculations indicate the feasibility and potential superiority of flappingwing airborne power generators over previously proposed rotary power generators.
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