Progress of Chinese "Dove" and Future Studies on Flight Mechanism of Birds and Application System

This paper introduces the Chinese "Dove"-A practical application system of bird-mimetic air vehicles developed for more than a decade by the Institute of Flight Vehicle Innovation of Northwest Polytechnic University (NWPU) in China. Firstly, the main components, flight capability and flight verification of the Chinese "Dove" are presented. Then, the methods for the aerodynamic simulation and wind tunnel experiments are put forward. Secondly, the design of high-lift and high-thrust flexible flapping wings, a series of flapping mechanisms, gust-resistance layout and micro flight control/navigation system are presented. Some future studies on the application system of bionic micro air vehicles are given, including observation of natural flight creatures, aerodynamics in flight, mechanical and new material driving systems, structural mechanics, flight mechanics, and the information perception and intelligent decision-making control, which are related to research of flight bioinformatic perception and brain science. Finally, some application examples of complex flapping movements, active/passive deformation of bird wings, new low-energy motion-driven system, bionic intelligent decision-making and control/navigation are discussed.