ENTOMOPTER

Biologically inspired robots are by now the object of several engineering programs because of a vast set of useful applications. Among these projects, very few are tackling autonomous aerial locomotion. This is indeed a very challenging problem. Aeromodelism has already produced impressive small scale rotorcrafts or airplanes, but a well controlled flapping wing vehicle does not exist. Industry is demanding for such a type of vehicle which could mimic the fascinating capacity of insects to manage adverse ambient conditions. As an example, stability of a hovering dragonfly subjected to gusts or to turbulence is really something technology would want to mimic. This is why investigation of flapping wing animals is particularly interesting. With approaches and tools from physics, biology and engineering we propose here to explore the biomimetic path from experimental observation on real flying insects to the physical models explaining the physics of thrust and lift generation. We aim at the final target of providing a set of sounded basic elements or 'rules' which can be useful in the design of efficient future flapping-wing devices. The present project is thus about investigating insect flight from a fundamental and multidisciplinary point of view.