Numerical Simulations of Membrane Wing Aerodynamics for Micro Air Vehicle Applications

To gain insight into the aerodynamics of flexible wing-based micro air vehicles (MAVs), we study the three-dimensional interaction between a membrane wing and its surrounding fluid flow. A nonlinear membrane structural solver and a Navier-Stokes flow solver are coupled through the moving boundary technique and time synchronization. Under the chord Reynolds number of 9×10 4, the membrane exhibits self-initiated vibrations in accordance with its material properties and the surrounding fluid flow. The vortical flow structure, its effect on the aerodynamic parameters, and the implications of the membrane deformation on the effective angle of attack and flow structure are discussed.