International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET International Open Access, Monthly, Peer Reviewed, Reputed Journal ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Impact Factor (2025): 6.9

DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET

Aerodynamic Load Analysis on Flapping Wings Using Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Method

Khoiri RoziMechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang 50275, IndonesiaIsmoyo HaryantoMechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang 50275, IndonesiaRaihan Rafii’ HerminasaMechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang 50275, Indonesia

Vol 9 No 5 (2025): Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2025 | Pages: 170-174

International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology

OPEN ACCESS | Research Article | Published Date: 20-05-2025

doi Logo doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2025.905021

pdf iconFull Text PDF
Abstract

Aeroelastic studies of flapping wings on Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) that adopts bird or insect wing motion are very important because of their excellent maneuverability. Analysis in this simulation study with Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Methods (UVLM). The simulation results can be noted that in the downstroke motion, high vortex strength values produce significant lift force and vice versa in the upstroke. The greater flow deflection at high angles of attack and airfoil curvature that depends on the camber value produce pressure differences at the bottom and top of the wing. The lift force value affects the pitching moment value and induced drag value.

Keywords

Aerodynamic Loads, FW-MAV, UVLM, Vortex Forces


Citation of this Article

Khoiri Rozi, Ismoyo Haryanto, & Raihan Rafii’ Herminasa. (2025). Aerodynamic Load Analysis on Flapping Wings Using Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Method. International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET, 9(5), 170-174. Article DOI https://doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2025.905021

Licence Copyright (c) 2026 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology creative common licence This work is licensed under Creative common Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 Internation Licence
References
  1. Liu, K., Ronch, A. Da, Li, D. and Xiang, J. 2015. Modeling of Unsteady Aerodynamics for a Flapping wing. IFAC-PapersOnLine. 48, 28 (2015), 404–408.
  2. Shyy, W., Berg, M. and Ljungqvist, D. 1999. Flapping and flexible wings for biological and micro air vehicles. Progress in Aerospace Sciences. 35, 5 (1999), 455–505.
  3. Shyy, W., Aono, H., Chimakurthi, S.K., Trizila, P., Kang, C.-K., Cesnik, C.E.S. and Liu, H. 2010. Recent Progress in Flapping Wing Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity. Progress in Aerospace Sciences. 46, 7 (2010), 284–327.
  4. Au, L.T.K., Phan, H.V. and Park, H.C. 2017. Comparison of Aerodynamic Forces and Moments Calculated by Three-dimensional Unsteady Blade Element Theory and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Journal of Bionic Engineering. 14, 4 (2017), 746–758.
  5. Ruiz, C., Acosta, J. and Ollero, A. 2022. Aerodynamic reduced-order Volterra model of an ornithopter under high-amplitude flapping. Aerospace Science and Technology. 121, (2022), 107331.
  6. Beker, C., Turgut, A.E., Arikan, K.B. and Kurtulus, D.F. 2020. Aeroelastic Analysis of a Flapping Blow Fly Wing. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology. 1, 1 (2020), 14–21.
  7. Li, L., Xu, J., Gao, Y., Yang, J., Bai, F. and Wang, Y. 2022. Unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of a bionic flapping wing in three-dimensional composite motion. AIP Advances. 12, 1 (2022).
  8. Kang, C.-K., Aono, H., Cesnik, C.E.S. and Shyy, W. 2011. Effects of Flexibility on the Aerodynamic Performance of Flapping Wings. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 689, (2011), 32–74.
  9. Simpson, R.J.S., Palacios, R. and Murua, J. 2013. Induced-drag calculations in the unsteady vortex lattice method. AIAA Journal. 51, 7 (2013), 1775–1779.
  10. Murua, J., Palacios, R. and Graham, J.M.R. 2012. Applications of the unsteady vortex-lattice method in aircraft aeroelasticity and flight dynamics. Progress in Aerospace Sciences. 55, (2012), 46–72.
  11. Roccia, B.A., Preidikman, S., Massa, J.C. and Mook, D.T. 2013. Modified unsteady vortex-lattice method to study flapping wings in hover flight. AIAA Journal. 51, 11 (2013), 2628–2642.
  12. Souza, E. de, Silva, R.G.A. da and Cesnik, C.E.S. 2014. an Object-Oriented Unsteady Vortex Lattice Method for Aeroelastic Analyses of Highly Flexible Wings. Proceedings of 10th World Congress on Computational Mechanics. 1, (2014), 2064–2083.
  13. Urban, C. 2021. Validation and Optimization of Ptera Software: An Open-Source Unsteady Simulator for Flapping Wings. (2021).
  14. Yeo, D., Atkins, E.M. and Shyy, W. 2011. Experimental and analytical pressure characterization of a rigid flapping wing for ornithopter development. AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 2011. August (2011), 1–18.
  15. Ptera Software: 2020. https://github.com/camUrban/PteraSoftware.

Copyright @ 2026 IRJIET. All Right Reserved.

Licensed underCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.