Science Daily February 2, 2022
Current flapping MAVs require transmission systems between their actuators and wings, which introduce energetic losses and additional mass, hindering performance. Researchers in the UK have developed a high-performance electrostatic flapping actuation system, the liquid-amplified zipping actuator (LAZA), which induces wing movement by direct application of liquid-amplified electrostatic forces at the wing root, eliminating the requirement of any transmission system and their associated downsides. Thrust up to 5.73 millinewtons was achieved while consuming only 243 milliwatts of electrical power, implying a thrust-to-power ratio of 23.6 newtons per kilowatt, like state-of-the-art flapping MAVs, helicopter rotors, and commercial drone motors. The LAZA allows for accurate control of flapping frequency and amplitude, exhibits no variation in performance over more than 1 million actuation cycles, and delivers peak and average specific powers of 200 and 124 watts per kilogram, respectively, exceeding mammalian and insect flight muscle and on par with modern flapping MAV actuation systems. was able to accelerate from at-rest and travel at speeds up to 0.71 meters per second. The LAZA enables lightweight, high-performance transmission-free flapping MAVs for long-term remote exploration and search-and-rescue missions…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ