Parametric simulation and physical validation of an XFlow-based biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft

Abstract

This paper presents research on a butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aircraft, covering three main areas: overall design, aerodynamic analysis, and the construction and flight testing of a proof-of-concept prototype. During the overall design process, a 3D model was created based on a biomimetic butterfly prototype. Using the XFlow meshless fluid simulation software, a 3D numerical simulation of the aircraft was performed. A single-variable control method was employed to systematically analyze the influence of three core parameters—flapping frequency, flight speed, and wing pitch angle—on the aircraft’s lift and thrust, and the optimization of these core parameters was subsequently carried out. Within a certain range, lift increases as flapping frequency, flight speed, and wing pitch angle increase. Thrust continues to increase with flapping frequency, rises initially and then decreases with flight speed, and is minimally affected by the wing pitch angle. A physical prototype was ultimately constructed for validation. Based on the optimized parameters, a 10-gram proof-of-concept model was built and subjected to free-flight tests. The test results validated the validity of the simulation outcomes and the feasibility of the design.