Smart wing rotation and ingenious leading edge vortex control modulate the unconventional forces during insects flights

Abstract

Compared with fixed-wing flight, flapping flight can generate a higher lift and is also more maneuverable, largely resulting from the benefits of wing rotation. By analyzing the real wing kinematics of fruit flies, we found that the wing rotation is smart modulated and can be simplified into the advanced $\Phi>0$, symmetrical $\Phi=0$, and delayed $\Phi<0$ modes, where $\Phi$ is the phase between stroke reversal and wing rotation. Thus, an experiment of a Robotic fly at Reynolds number of 240 was designed to address how insects control the flow patterns to modulate the flight forces by the smart wing rotation. Experimental results demonstrated that the flow pattern during a half of stroke is featured by the formation of a spiral LEV, which has a convex shape and connects to the trailing vortex via a tip vortex and a root vortex to form a vortex loop. Through wing rotation, the formation of LEV is enhanced and the pinch-off of LEV can be significantly delayed, resulting in the stabilization of LEV and the generation of unconventional forces. In addition, by modulating the modes of wing rotation, insects obtain distinct wing-vortex patterns including positive, neutral, and negative camber patterns, by which insects control the magnitude and direction of unconventional forces owing to the wake capture mechanism. Therefore, the smart wing rotation not only contributes to the generation of unconventional forces, but also accounts for the control of flow pattern during insects steering maneuvers.