Research on the DelFly Aerodynamics

In this chapter, an overview of the experimental studies focusing on the aerodynamics of the DelFly is given. Force generation mechanisms of the DelFly flapping-wing flight are addressed with particular consideration of the effects of different parameters such as wing geometry and flexibility. Furthermore, state-of-art flow visualization results are presented to give insight into the behavior of flow structures around and in the wake of the flapping wings and to assess their influence on the unsteady forces.