Flapping-Wing Robot Formation Control for Balanced Flight Endurance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flapping-wing aerial robots face challenges in performing complex tasks due to insufficient endurance and inefficient energy utilization when operating in groups, requiring a method to optimize energy consumption and increase overall endurance while maintaining reliability.
Innovation Solution
A flapping-wing aerial robot formation control method inspired by the trailing vortex generation, energy saving, and attenuation mechanisms of wild geese, which involves determining a V-shaped leading-following group pattern and implementing a leading robot swapping solution to equalize energy consumption among robots, thereby optimizing energy utilization and extending flight endurance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single flapping-wing aerial robot performs a complex task, then the robot can complete the task independently, but the endurance is insufficient and energy utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the task execution into multiple segments by using multiple flapping-wing aerial robots working in formation. Each robot performs a portion of the overall task, allowing the group to complete complex missions that exceed the capabilities of a single robot while maintaining efficient energy utilization through coordinated flight patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple flapping-wing aerial robots are merged into a cooperative formation to collectively perform complex tasks. The combination of multiple robots' capabilities enables extended endurance and improved energy efficiency, as the group can share the workload and utilize formation flight benefits to reduce individual energy consumption.
2Productivity
If a group of flapping-wing aerial robots performs a task, then the overall capability increases, but the energy utilization efficiency decreases and endurance remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The formation configuration of the flapping-wing aerial robots is made dynamic, allowing the group to adjust their relative positions and formation patterns during flight. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to optimize energy utilization efficiency in real-time while maintaining high task performance capability, resolving the contradiction between group productivity and energy efficiency.
3Duration of action of moving object
If flapping-wing aerial robots fly in formation, then the overall endurance increases, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system utilizes parameter changes in the formation configuration, such as adjusting inter-robot distances, formation shapes, and flight altitudes, to optimize both endurance and control complexity. By systematically varying these parameters, the system achieves extended overall endurance while maintaining manageable control complexity through structured parameter adjustment strategies.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the leading robot continuously performs the leading role, then the formation stability is maintained, but the energy consumption of the leading robot increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The leading robot role is implemented as a periodic action rather than a continuous assignment. The system regularly rotates the leading position among different robots in the formation, ensuring that no single robot bears the excessive energy burden of continuous leading. This periodic role rotation maintains formation stability while distributing energy consumption evenly across all robots.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively reduces flight energy consumption and increases the overall endurance of flapping-wing aerial robots by leveraging the 'wild goose queue effect' and dynamic modeling for formation control, ensuring balanced energy use and efficient task performance.
Implementation Method 1
determining a trailing vortex generation mechanism, an energy saving principle and a trailing vortex attenuation mechanism of the formation flight of a group of wild geese
Implementation Method 2
determining an energy saving principle of the formation flight of a group of wild geese in accordance with the pattern of their formation pattern includes: a downwash airflow generated at the inner side of the trailing vortex and an upwash airflow generated at the outer side of the trailing vortex
Data Source
AI summary
A flapping-wing aerial robot formation control method includes: determining a trailing vortex generation mechanism, an energy saving principle and a trailing vortex attenuation mechanism of the formation flight of a group of wild geese in accordance with the pattern of the formation flight of the group of wild geese; determining the formation flight of a group of flapping-wing aerial robots and a formation switching solution in accordance with the trailing vortex generation mechanism, energy saving principle and trailing vortex attenuation mechanism of the formation flight of the group of wild geese in conjunction with the flapping characteristic of a flapping-wing aerial robot from the perspective of energy consumption equalization and energy saving; and carrying out formation keeping control and formation reconfiguration control in accordance with the formation flight of the group of flapping-wing aerial robots and the formation switching solution by controlling positions of the group of flapping-wing aerial robots.