Abstract
Scientists have long used the unsteady vortex lattice method (UVLM) to simulate flapping wing flight. However, until recently, there has not been an available open-source UVLM solver designed explicitly for this field. Ptera Software is the only open-source UVLM solver that can simulate flapping wing aerodynamics without the modifications required by other open-source solvers. This report documents the next step in the software’s development: validation of its results. Comparing Ptera Software’s output to high-fidelity experimental data of the pressures on a flapping wing robot shows that the simulated results predict the trends and magnitudes of the net lift over time with good accuracy. The present results demonstrate that Ptera Software correctly implements the UVLM and can simulate flapping wing flight with reasonable accuracy under this method’s assumptions.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
12-20-2020
Recommended Citation
Urban, Cameron, "Validating an Open-Source UVLM Solver for Analyzing Flapping Wing Flight" (2020). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 135.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/135