Control for going from hovering to small speed flight of a model insect

The longitudinal steady-state control for going from hovering to small speed flight of a model insect is studied, using the method of computational fluid dynamics to compute the aerodynamic derivatives and the techniques based on the linear theories of stability and control for determining the non-zero equilibrium points. Morphological and certain kinematical data of droneflies are used for the model insect. A change in the mean stroke angle results in a horizontal forward or backward flight; a change in the stroke amplitude (δΦ) or a equal change in the down- and upstroke angles of attack (δα ₁) results in a vertical climb or decent; a proper combination of and δΦ controls (or and δα ₁ controls) can give a flight of any (small) speed in any desired direction. This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10732030), the 111 Project (B07009) and Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education(SRFDP, 200800061013).