Anatomical Study of Insect Flight Structure

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Compared with the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerial vehicle, the bionic ornithopter has unique advantages in flying maneuverability and flexibilities, becoming one of the focuses of current researches. Because of their high speeds, long distance flight sand low energy consumptions, more and more attentions has been paid to flying insects. Their unique physical structures and flight modes will enlighten the bionic ornithopter. In this paper, four insects flight-related muscle biological structures were dissected to specify the effects of the muscles. Then the flapping wing behavior of two of these insects was tested to guide for design of the bionic ornithopter. The anatomic results showed that they commonly own the dorsoventral muscles, whose weight proportions increase with their body wall thickness. The three-dimensional flapping traces of Dragonflies and Uangs are respectively 8-shape and resemble-8-shape. With combines of anatomy and flapping wing behavior test, the dorsoventral muscle and the tergal longitudinal muscle affect some flight parameters (flapping wing frequency, flapping wing angle, flapping wing movement, etc.). But these flight parameters changes were not sure entirely caused by the muscles. The study of insect physiology structure and flight mode not only can help the further understanding of the production mechanism of high-lift when insects flying, but also can provide theoretical support for development of the bionic ornithopter.

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31-36

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November 2013

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© 2014 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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