Unmanned aerial vehicles are provided. In one aspect, the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a four-bar linkage mechanism in mechanical communication with a pair of wings. An electrical subsystem includes an actuator in mechanical communication with the four-bar-linkage mechanism. The actuator is in electrical communication with a capacitor. A plurality of solar panels is in electrical communication with the capacitor, which is configured to harvest non-battery energy from the plurality of solar panels to power the actuator for controlling the four-bar linkage mechanism to operate the pair of wings.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for unmanned flight optimization. A system for unmanned flight comprises a set of motors configured to provide locomotion to an unmanned aerial vehicle, a set of wings coupled to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via an actuator and configured to move relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a sensor system on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: control the unmanned aerial vehicle, cause the set of motors to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle, detect condition parameters based on the sensor system, determine a position for the set of wings based on the condition parameters, and cause the actuator to move the set of wings to the wing position while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight.

A wing flapping apparatus includes a motive power source; a power transmission mechanism; and a wing unit driven by the power transmission mechanism. The power transmission mechanism includes a rotation transmission member configured to rotate upon reception of motive power transmitted from the motive power source; a slider configured to linearly reciprocate in an X-axis direction upon reception of the motive power transmitted from the rotation transmission member and a rotating body configured to reciprocate in a rotation direction upon reception of the motive power transmitted from the slider. The wing unit is configured to swing such that its distal end moves approximately in the X-axis direction as the rotating body reciprocates in the rotation direction. The power transmission mechanism further includes a pair of crank arms each configured to connect the rotation transmission member and the slider. The pair of crank arms each has: one end rotatably connected to the rotation transmission member and the other end rotatably and slidably connected to the slider.

A wing rotation structure of a flapping wing micro air vehicle, for which, wing rotations are related to and caused by wing flappings, the wing rotation structure includes: an actuator mount, a left actuator, a right actuator, a left connector, a right connector, a left flapping wing arm, a right flapping wing arm, a central base, a left rotation bevel gear, a right rotation bevel gear, a left fixed auxiliary bevel gear, a right fixed auxiliary bevel gear. Wherein, the left actuator and the right actuator are located respectively on a left side and a right side of the actuator mount. the left connector connects the left actuator to the left flapping wing arm, and the right connector connects the right actuator to the right flapping wing arm. The central base is fixed securely on the actuator mount.

Described are aerial vehicle kits and aerial vehicles comprising two or more wing units that can be driven individually. Such control of the lift and propulsion generation of each wing individually enables greater vehicle control for increased maneuverability and weather tolerance.

A flight test system for a flapping-wing aerial vehicle includes a host computer platform, a measurement mechanism, and a wind tunnel. The measurement mechanism is configured to mount a to-be-tested flapping-wing aerial vehicle prototype. The measurement mechanism includes an Euler angle controller, a flow angle controller, and a tripod. The flow angle controller is mounted on the tripod. The Euler angle controller is in transmission connection with the flow angle controller. The flapping-wing aerial vehicle prototype is detachably connected to the Euler angle controller by using a first connecting member. The host computer platform is in communication connection with the measurement mechanism and the wind tunnel, and is configured to control a wind speed of the wind tunnel and display a flight status of the flapping-wing aerial vehicle prototype in real time during test.

Heavier-than-air, aircraft having flapping wings, e.g., ornithopters, where angular orientation control is effected by variable differential sweep angles of deflection of the flappable wings in the course of sweep angles of travel and/or the control of variable wing membrane tension.

An unmanned aerial vehicle including a body part having an inner space filled with light gas; and a plurality of wing parts mounted on the body part and providing a propelling force. Each of the wing parts includes a fin part having a first rib and a second rib, a first servomotor and a second servomotor connected to one end of the first rib and one end of the second rib, respectively, to move the other end of the first rib and the other end of the second rib in a control angle range; a control unit for controlling the first servomotor and the second servomotor to make the first rib and the second rib move while having a particular phase difference therebetween; and a third servomotor connected to the first servomotor and the second servomotor to rotate the fin part to determine the propelling direction of the body part.

A rigid-flexible coupled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) morphing wing and an additive manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. A shape memory alloy (SMA) strip/wire for controlling the wing upward deformation and an SMA strip/wire for controlling the wing downward deformation are arranged alternately, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs are arranged at intervals on the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation. The SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation are arranged on a flexible substrate, and are wrapped with an insulating covering. The SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation each are provided with an electric heating element.

The application relates to an aircraft, a method, an apparatus and a computer readable storage medium for controlling the aircraft with at least one sensor arranged thereon, the method including detecting a motor state of the aircraft, acquiring at least one sensing data of the at least one sensor, and controlling the aircraft to perform a startup operation or a shutdown operation according to the motor state and the at least one sensing data, so that the aircraft can be autonomously controlled to perform the startup operation or the shutdown operation, and the user experience is improved.