Steering control structure of biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft and aircraft

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of steering control structures of bionic flapping-wing aircraft, including rudder on the aircraft fuselage tail portion of being installed, the rotating shaft of rudder is along the vertical direction of the aircraft is arranged, and with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage is orthogonal;The rotating shaft of rudder is fixedly connected with the deflection bar extending to the rear of the aircraft, and the axis of deflection bar intersects with the axis of the rotating shaft of rudder;Wherein, rudder is deflected towards the lateral direction of the aircraft by driving deflection bar, to realize steering.It also discloses a kind of bionic flapping-wing aircraft, including aircraft body, and the tail portion of aircraft body is installed with steering control structure.The utility model steering structure is flexible and reliable, in the case where almost no influence is caused to lift, by the transformation of deflection bar posture, aircraft can be rapidly adjusted flight direction, can be lightly turned and circled, this high degree of mobility makes aircraft can adapt to complex environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of biomimetic butterfly technology, specifically to a steering control structure and aircraft for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Bionic mechanical technology is a product encompassing multiple disciplines, with a wide range of applications and ever-increasing demand. In situations where humans are unable to safely reach and complete dangerous tasks, such as field exploration, military reconnaissance, planetary exploration, and experimental sites with biochemical contamination, bionic machines, leveraging their high flexibility and adaptability, can effectively compensate for these limitations, moving into dangerous environments inaccessible to humans to perform exploration and related auxiliary work.

[0003] Currently, most machines are only suitable for working in environments with ample space and few obstacles, and are somewhat inadequate in dynamic, unstructured environments. Therefore, researching highly maneuverable machines suitable for complex environments is of great significance. In biomimetic mechanics, an important branch is the biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft. Relying on its small size and agility, it can adapt to complex environments and perform complex tasks. However, as the tasks of biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft become increasingly complex, higher demands are being placed on their functionality. Butterflies, as insects with beautiful appearances and unique flight capabilities, have aroused great interest in people since ancient times. In recent years, researchers have begun to try to imitate the flight patterns of butterflies by observing their flight behavior and physiological characteristics in order to develop more efficient and energy-saving aircraft.

[0004] Butterflies rely on the coordination of their wings and abdomen to adjust their flight direction. In nature, the hindwings of butterflies are broad, also known as the distal end or tail, and play a crucial role in controlling direction during flight, exhibiting exceptional flexibility. Currently, there are three common methods for directional control in biomimetic butterfly flapping-wing aircraft: one is to adjust the position of the tail fin to generate a yaw moment to adjust the aircraft's direction; the second is to adjust the aircraft's direction by changing the shape of the wing membrane; and the third is to control the differential speed between the two wings for turning. All three methods generate significant roll moments, leading to substantial roll and tilt in the aircraft's flight attitude. Since the lift plane of the aircraft is perpendicular to the stroke plane of the flapping surface, the vertical component of the lift used to balance gravity decreases during turning, causing the aircraft to lose altitude abnormally. Therefore, designing a steering structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft that minimizes lift loss and ensures stable turning attitude requires further consideration. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is: how to provide a steering control structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft with low lift loss and stable steering attitude.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A steering control structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft includes a servo motor mounted on the tail of the aircraft fuselage. The rotation axis of the servo motor is arranged along the vertical direction of the aircraft and is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. A deflection rod extending rearward from the rotation axis of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the rotation axis of the servo motor, and the axis of the deflection rod intersects the axis of the rotation axis of the servo motor. The servo motor achieves steering by driving the deflection rod to deflect in the lateral direction of the aircraft.

[0008] The deflector rod, as the core control mechanism in the stroke plane of the rear wing, is located at its geometric central axis. Changes in its angle can directly alter the direction of the thrust vector generated by the rear wing, thereby achieving vector adjustment of power output. This adjustment not only generates the required steering torque to drive the aircraft to perform flexible steering maneuvers, but also introduces a significantly smaller roll torque than traditional steering methods that change the angle of the stroke plane.

[0009] Because the yaw lever adjustment primarily affects the thrust direction rather than altering the attitude across the entire stroke plane, the roll variation in the stroke plane is relatively small. This design effectively avoids lift loss due to roll variations during turns, ensuring stable lift output for the aircraft. Furthermore, the smaller roll moment also reduces potential energy consumption during turns, improving flight energy efficiency and handling stability.

[0010] As an optimization, the deflection rod includes at least two slender support rods that are parallel to each other and evenly spaced circumferentially around the same baseline. The same end of all the slender support rods is connected together by a connecting seat to form an integral rod-like structure. The connecting seat is fixed to the rotation axis of the servo motor, and the baseline intersects the axis of rotation of the servo motor. During flight, airflow flows backward between the slender support rods, generating a stabilizing torque. This not only improves the stability of the aircraft during straight-line flight but also helps improve stability during turning.

[0011] As an optimization, the axis of the deflection rod is orthogonal to the axis of the rotation axis of the servo motor.

[0012] This utility model also discloses a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft, including an aircraft body, and a steering control structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft as described above is installed at the tail of the aircraft body.

[0013] As an optimization, the aircraft body includes a fuselage, with a front mounting shaft and a rear mounting shaft coaxially protruding from the front and rear ends of the fuselage in the longitudinal direction, respectively. A forewing strut I and a forewing strut II are rotatably connected to the front mounting shaft in the longitudinal direction. Both forewing strut I and forewing strut II extend radially along the front mounting shaft and are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction according to their projections in the longitudinal direction. A forewing membrane is connected to the rear side of each forewing strut I and forewing strut II. A rear wing strut I and a rear wing strut are rotatably connected to the rear mounting shaft in the longitudinal direction. Rod II, rear wing support rod I, and rear wing support rod II all extend radially along the rear mounting axis. Rear wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction along their projections in the front-rear direction. Rear wing membranes are connected to the rear sides of rear wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II, respectively. Forewing support rod I and rear wing support rod II, and forewing support rod II and rear wing support rod I, are connected by a linkage mechanism to achieve synchronous movement. A frame is fixedly connected to the lower front of the fuselage, and a drive device is mounted on the frame to synchronously drive forewing support rod I and forewing support rod II to periodically reciprocate around the front mounting axis. Through the linkage mechanism, the drive device can synchronously drive the rear wing support rod to swing while driving the forewing support rod, forming a four-wing drive mode. This achieves passive coupling and a preset phase relationship between the forewing and rear wing movements, generating greater lift and improving flight efficiency.

[0014] As an optimization, the drive device includes a drive motor fixed on the frame and a power supply device fixed on the fuselage. The drive end of the drive motor is connected to the forewing support rod I and the forewing support rod II respectively through a transmission mechanism. The power supply device is electrically connected to the drive motor to provide power to the drive motor.

[0015] As an optimization, the transmission mechanism includes transmission gears rotatably connected to the frame and corresponding to the forewing strut I and forewing strut II, respectively. The two transmission gears mesh with each other. The forewing strut I and forewing strut II are connected to their corresponding transmission gears via rocker arms to form a crank-rocker structure. A drive gear is mounted on the drive end of the drive motor. Intermediate gears are rotatably connected to the frame and mesh with the drive gears and one of the transmission gears, respectively. By employing a crank-rocker structure, the gear system drives the structure to operate, causing the crank-rocker structure to drive the forewings to flap synchronously, generating main lift. This converts the rotational motion of the transmission gears into the reciprocating flapping motion of the wing surface, achieving efficient power transmission and coordinated flapping motion of the entire system.

[0016] As an optimization, both the forewing membrane and the aftwing membrane are made of flexible material. The wing surfaces are made of flexible membrane and employ a wingless, curved design, which improves the aircraft's lift-to-drag ratio.

[0017] As an optimization, the aircraft is also equipped with a barometric pressure sensing system, a MEMS inertial measurement system, a GPS positioning system, and a communication system. These systems can transmit data externally via the communication system. The barometric pressure sensing system measures changes in atmospheric pressure to sense the aircraft's altitude relative to the ground, assisting in altitude control. The inertial measurement system measures angular velocity and attitude angles to determine the aircraft's flight attitude. The GPS positioning system provides location, velocity, and time information for real-time monitoring of the aircraft's position.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] (1) The steering structure is flexible and reliable. With almost no impact on lift, the aircraft can quickly adjust its flight direction by changing the attitude of the yaw stick, and can turn and hover lightly. This high maneuverability enables the aircraft to adapt to complex environments.

[0020] (2) A four-winged aircraft can generate a lot of lift and glide by utilizing the direction of high-altitude airflow, which allows the aircraft to fly with less energy and improve flight efficiency.

[0021] (3) The crank-rocker structure combined with the connecting rod structure drives the front and rear wings to flap synchronously. The high-frequency, low-amplitude flapping mode can reduce the noise generated by air turbulence. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a front view of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a control flowchart of the flight control system in an embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this utility model provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed utility model, but merely represents selected embodiments of the utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the steering control structure of the biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft in this specific embodiment includes a servo motor 1 installed on the tail of the aircraft fuselage. The rotation axis of the servo motor 1 is arranged along the vertical direction of the aircraft and is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. A deflection rod extending towards the rear of the aircraft is fixedly connected to the rotation axis of the servo motor 1, and the axis of the deflection rod intersects with the axis of the rotation axis of the servo motor 1. The servo motor 1 drives the deflection rod to deflect in the lateral direction of the aircraft to achieve steering.

[0027] In this specific embodiment, the deflection rod includes at least two slender support rods 2 that are parallel to each other and evenly spaced around the same baseline in the circumferential direction. The same end of all the slender support rods 2 is connected together by a connecting seat to form an integral rod-shaped structure. The connecting seat is fixed on the rotation shaft of the servo motor 1 and the baseline intersects the axis of the rotation shaft of the servo motor 1.

[0028] In this specific embodiment, the axis of the deflection rod is orthogonal to the axis of the rotation axis of the servo motor 1.

[0029] A biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft includes an aircraft body, and the tail of the aircraft body is equipped with a steering control structure as described above for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft.

[0030] In this specific embodiment, the aircraft body includes a fuselage 3. A front mounting shaft and a rear mounting shaft coaxially protrude from the front and rear ends of the fuselage 3 along the longitudinal direction, respectively. A forewing strut I4 and a forewing strut II5 are rotatably connected to the front mounting shaft along the longitudinal direction. Both forewing strut I4 and forewing strut II5 extend radially along the front mounting shaft. The projections of forewing strut I4 and forewing strut II5 along the longitudinal direction are symmetrically arranged along the left and right directions. A forewing membrane 6 is connected to the rear side of each forewing strut I4 and forewing strut II5. A rear wing strut I7 and a rear wing strut II8 are rotatably connected to the rear mounting shaft along the longitudinal direction. Both rear wing support rod I7 and rear wing support rod II8 extend radially along the rear mounting axis. The projections of rear wing support rod I7 and rear wing support rod II8 in the front-rear direction are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction. The rear wing membrane 9 is connected to the rear side of rear wing support rod I7 and rear wing support rod II8 respectively. Forewing support rod I4 and rear wing support rod II8, and forewing support rod II5 and rear wing support rod I7 are connected by a linkage mechanism 10 to achieve synchronous movement. A frame 11 is fixedly connected to the lower front end of the fuselage 3. A drive device capable of synchronously driving forewing support rod I4 and forewing support rod II5 to periodically reciprocate around the front mounting axis is installed on the frame 11.

[0031] In this specific embodiment, the driving device includes a drive motor fixed on the frame 11 and a power supply device fixed on the fuselage 3. The drive end of the drive motor is connected to the front wing support rod I4 and the front wing support rod II5 respectively through a transmission mechanism. The power supply device is electrically connected to the drive motor to provide power to the drive motor.

[0032] In this specific embodiment, the transmission mechanism includes transmission gears 12 rotatably connected to the frame 11 and corresponding to the forewing support rod I4 and the forewing support rod II5 respectively. The two transmission gears 12 mesh with each other. The forewing support rod I4 and the forewing support rod II5 are connected to their corresponding transmission gears 12 by a rocker arm 13 to form a crank-rocker structure. The drive end of the drive motor is equipped with a drive gear. An intermediate gear 14 is rotatably connected to the frame 11 and meshes with the drive gear and one of the transmission gears 12 respectively.

[0033] In this specific embodiment, both the front wing membrane 6 and the rear wing membrane 9 are made of flexible material, which can be flexible PET film wings.

[0034] In this specific embodiment, the aircraft body is also equipped with a barometric pressure sensing system, an inertial measurement system, a GPS positioning system, and a communication system. The barometric pressure sensing system, the inertial measurement system, and the GPS positioning system are each able to transmit data to the outside through the communication system.

[0035] In the specific implementation process, the aircraft is also equipped with a flight control system. This system receives and processes relevant data from the communication system, collecting real-time information on its flight attitude, position, and other statuses. It then simultaneously performs route deviation detection and altitude assessment: if it hasn't deviated from the preset route, it maintains the current control parameters; if it does deviate, it immediately triggers the steering system, using a PID control algorithm to precisely calculate the servo adjustment angle and outputting a PWM signal to drive the servo to correct the heading. Simultaneously, if the expected flight altitude has been reached, the existing control parameters are maintained; if not, the PID algorithm is used to calculate the motor output, outputting a PWM signal to regulate the motor speed and change the wing flapping frequency to adjust the flight altitude. The flight control system continuously cycles through the "status acquisition → judgment → control → execution feedback" process, constructing a closed-loop feedback mechanism to ensure flight stability and mission adaptability. Figure 3 As shown.

[0036] The flight controller hardware system includes a main control circuit, power management circuit, drive circuit, sensor interface circuit, and communication circuit. The main control circuit uses an STM32F405 microcontroller as its core, connecting sensors and drive modules via I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces to complete flight control and data processing. The power management circuit consists of a lithium battery, a DC-DC step-down chip, and a voltage regulator network, providing stable power to each module and featuring overvoltage, overcurrent, and undervoltage protection. The drive circuit outputs PWM signals from the main controller, which are amplified by MOSFETs to drive motors and servos, enabling high-frequency flapping of the four wings and yaw steering by the servos. The sensor interface circuit is used for data acquisition from modules such as the IMU and barometer, providing real-time feedback on flight attitude and altitude. The communication circuit includes a wireless module interface for data exchange with the ground station. All modules are integrated and routed on a multi-layer PCB, with enhanced anti-interference capabilities through filter capacitors and protective components, collectively ensuring stable flight status and efficient execution of mission commands.

[0037] Additionally, a digital twin system can be constructed to create a signal mapping between the virtual and real worlds. By collecting real-time state data of the butterfly, a high-precision digital model is synchronously generated in virtual space. This not only allows for intuitive observation of the aircraft's real-time status but also enables simulation analysis based on the model, achieving reverse optimization of flight control strategies. The system digitally maps key operational signals of the biomimetic flapping wing, converting physical signals into input parameters for the digital twin model, achieving state consistency between the physical entity and the digital model. The system checks the success of signal mapping: if successful, the process ends, indicating a stable communication link, and the flight control or mission execution phase can begin; if mapping fails, the process returns to select a new communication protocol, reconnecting the system, resolving the protocol, and re-mapping signals until a reliable communication link is successfully established, ensuring the accuracy of signal transmission, resolution, and mapping, and providing data support for subsequent closed-loop control.

[0038] The aircraft's control process is "start-flight-end". After starting, the aircraft is powered on and then pairs with the remote controller. The operator pushes the remote controller's joystick, triggering the aircraft to flap its wings. The motor-driven gear system causes the wings to flap at a high frequency, achieving takeoff when lift exceeds gravity. During flight, the sensor system collects data from the barometer, inertial measurement unit, GPS, etc., and feeds it back to the flight controller, dynamically adjusting motor speeds and servo angles to complete the designated task, ending the process. To land, a command is sent via the remote controller, causing the flight controller to reduce speed and wing flapping frequency, and then shut off the power source after a smooth landing.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model and not to limit the technical solutions. Those skilled in the art should understand that any modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this utility model that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this technical solution should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A steering control structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft, characterized in that: The system includes a servo motor mounted on the tail of the aircraft fuselage. The servo motor's rotation axis is arranged along the vertical direction of the aircraft and is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage. A deflector rod extending rearward from the servo motor's rotation axis is fixedly connected to the servo motor's rotation axis, and the axis of the deflector rod intersects the axis of the servo motor's rotation axis. The servo motor achieves steering by driving the deflector rod to deflect in the lateral direction of the aircraft.

2. The steering control structure for the biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deflection rod includes at least two slender rods that are parallel to each other and evenly spaced around the same baseline in the circumferential direction. The same end of all the slender rods is connected together by a connecting seat to form an integral rod-shaped structure. The connecting seat is fixed on the rotation shaft of the servo motor, and the baseline intersects the axis of the rotation shaft of the servo motor.

3. The steering control structure for the biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The axis of the deflection rod is orthogonal to the axis of the rotation axis of the servo motor.

4. A biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft, comprising an aircraft body, characterized in that: The tail of the aircraft body is equipped with a steering control structure for a biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that: The aircraft body includes a fuselage. A front mounting shaft and a rear mounting shaft protrude coaxially from the front and rear ends of the fuselage along the longitudinal direction, respectively. Forewing strut I and forewing strut II are rotatably connected to the front mounting shaft along the longitudinal direction. Both forewing strut I and forewing strut II extend radially along the front mounting shaft. The projections of forewing strut I and forewing strut II along the longitudinal direction are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction. A forewing membrane is connected to the rear side of each forewing strut I and forewing strut II. Rear wing strut I and rear wing strut II are rotatably connected to the rear mounting shaft along the longitudinal direction. Both rear wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II extend radially along the rear mounting axis. The projections of rear wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II in the front-to-back direction are symmetrically arranged in the left-to-right direction. The rear sides of rear wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II are respectively connected to the rear wing membrane. Fore wing support rod I and rear wing support rod II, and fore wing support rod II and rear wing support rod I are connected by a linkage mechanism to achieve synchronous movement. A frame is fixedly connected to the lower front of the fuselage. A drive device is installed on the frame that can synchronously drive fore wing support rod I and fore wing support rod II to periodically reciprocate around the front mounting axis.

6. The biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drive device includes a drive motor fixed on the frame and a power supply device fixed on the body. The drive end of the drive motor is connected to the forewing support rod I and the forewing support rod II respectively through a transmission mechanism. The power supply device is electrically connected to the drive motor to provide power to the drive motor.

7. The biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism includes transmission gears rotatably connected to the frame and corresponding to the forewing support rod I and the forewing support rod II, respectively. The two transmission gears mesh with each other. The forewing support rod I and the forewing support rod II are connected to their corresponding transmission gears by rocker arms to form a crank-rocker structure. The drive end of the drive motor is equipped with a drive gear. An intermediate gear is rotatably connected to the frame and meshes with the drive gear and one of the transmission gears, respectively.

8. The biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 5, characterized in that: Both the front wing membrane and the rear wing membrane are made of flexible material.

9. The biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that: The aircraft is also equipped with a barometric pressure sensing system, an inertial measurement system, a GPS positioning system, and a communication system. The barometric pressure sensing system, the inertial measurement system, and the GPS positioning system can each transmit data to the outside world through the communication system.

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