A flapping feathered wing-powered aerial vehicle

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel aerial vehicle with authentic bird feather wings that successfully demonstrates sustained flight, showcasing the potential of feathered wing design for bio-inspired flying robots.

Contribution

Introduces a new flapping-wing aerial vehicle using real bird feathers, differing from traditional membrane wing designs, and validates its flight capabilities through field tests.

Findings

Successfully achieved takeoff, sustained flight, and safe landing.

Feathered wings generate sufficient thrust and lift.

Flight duration up to 63.88 seconds.

Abstract

An aerial vehicle powered by flapping feathered wings was designed, developed and fabricated. Different from legacy flapping-wing aerial vehicles with membrane wings, the new design uses authentic bird feathers to fabricate wings. In field tests, a radio-controlled electric-powered aerial vehicle with flapping feathered wings successfully took off, flew up to 63.88 s and landed safely. It was found that flapping feathered wings can generate sufficient thrust and lift to make a man-made aerial vehicle accomplish takeoff, sustainable flight and a safe landing.