Flight Characteristics of Insects

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  • KOSAKA Takumi
    Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University
  • SHIMIZU Takahiro
    Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University
  • SATO Hirotaka
    School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
  • UMEZU Shinjiro
    Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University

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Other Title
  • 昆虫の飛翔特性
  • Imaging Highlight 昆虫の飛翔特性
  • Imaging Highlight コンチュウ ノ ヒショウトクセイ

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<p>When a building collapses after a disaster such as earthquake, a small robot is needed to search for survivors trapped in debris. Although research and development of unmanned robots and MAVs are being conducted, there are many problems. Many unmanned robots have many functions but are large-sized, so they are not suitable for use in closed places. On the other hand, although MAV are small-sized, its inertia is low due to its small self-weight, and it tends to be uncontrollable due to gusts and turbulence of the air flow. In addition, since the output is small, the maximum load capacity during flight is small, and the energy capacity of the mounted battery cannot be increased, and furthermore, since the power consumption is large, the drivable time is very short. In order to solve the problems of such artificial robots, a living insect is used as a platform, and a microcomputer with a small wireless module is mounted on the back of it to stimulate nerves and muscles of the insect with the voltage signal of the microcomputer in order to control its flight. By investigating, understanding and applying the flight mechanism of insects, it is possible to make use of the flight performance of insects that cannot be achieved by existing MAVs, and to secure a relatively large maximum loading capacity and long drivable time. This paper introduces some of the research and development of MAVs using living insects and artificial MAVs that mimic the flight mechanism of insects.</p>

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