Development and Optimisation in Ornithopter Drone

Biological inspired robotics has emerged as an important area within the field of robotics. People dreamt to fly like a bird since the earliest civilizations. The study of robotic bird is the race to overcome natural flight through mechanical means. Numerous devices have been developed with an objective to achieve optimum natural flight capabilities since the concept of ornithopters or Flapping Aerial Vehicles (FAVs) flourished. An ornithopter (from Greek ornithos “bird” & pteron “wing”) is an aerial vehicle that flies by flapping its wings, i.e. it can also be defined as an aircraft that produces its thrust & lift by virtue of flapping wings. The principle of operation of an ornithopter is the same as an airplane; forward motion through the air lets the wings to deflect air in the downward direction, producing lift but the flapping motion of the wings takes the place of a rotating propeller. On the contrary, the aerofoils of an ornithopter have a flapping or oscillating motion, instead of a rotary motion as airplanes and helicopters employ. The wings of an ornithopter have a combined function of providing both lift & thrust.