Low Reynolds number aerodynamics is important to a number of natural and man-made flyers. Birds, bats, and insects have been of interest to biologists for years, and active study in the aerospace engineering community, motivated by interest in micro air vehicles (MAVs), has been increasing rapidly. The primary focus of this book is the aerodynamics associated with fixed and flapping wings. The book consider both biological flyers and MAVs, including a summary of the scaling laws-which relate the aerodynamics and flight characteristics to a flyer's sizing on the basis of simple geometric and dynamics analyses, structural flexibility, laminar-turbulent transition, airfoil shapes, and unsteady flapping wing aerodynamics. The interplay between flapping kinematics and key dimensionless parameters such as the Reynolds number, Strouhal number, and reduced frequency is highlighted. The various unsteady lift enhancement mechanisms are also addressed, including leading-edge vortex, rapid pitch-up and rotational circulation, wake capture, and clap-and-fling.

For anyone interested in the aerodynamics, structural dynamics and flight dynamics of small birds, bats, insects and air vehicles (MAVs).

This book reports the latest development and trends in the low Re number aerodynamics, transition from laminar to turbulence, unsteady low Reynolds number flows, experimental studies, numerical transition modelling, control of low Re number flows, and MAV wing aerodynamics. The contributors to each chapter are fluid mechanics and aerodynamics scientists and engineers with strong expertise in their respective fields. As a whole, the studies presented here reveal important new directions toward the realization of applications of MAV and wind turbine blades.

This book presents selected papers presented in the Symposium on Applied Aerodynamics and Design of Aerospace Vehicles (SAROD 2018), which was jointly organized by Aeronautical Development Agency (the nodal agency for the design and development of combat aircraft in India), Gas-Turbine Research Establishment (responsible for design and development of gas turbine engines for military applications), and CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (involved in major aerospace programs in the country such as SARAS program, LCA, Space Launch Vehicles, Missiles and UAVs). It brings together experiences of aerodynamicists in India as well as abroad in Aerospace Vehicle Design, Gas Turbine Engines, Missiles and related areas. It is a useful volume for researchers, professionals and students interested in diversified areas of aerospace engineering.

Current interest in a variety of low Reynolds number applications has focused attention on the design and evaluation of efficient airfoil sections at chord Reynolds numbers from about 100,000 to about 1,000,000. These applications include remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) at high altitudes, sailplanes, ultra-light man-carrying/man powered aircraft, mini-RPVs at low altitudes and wind turbines/propellers. The purpose of this conference was to bring together those researchers who have been active in areas closely related to this subject. All of the papers presented are research type papers. Main topics are: Airfoil Design and Analysis, Computational Studies, Stability and Transition, Laminar Separation Bubble, Steady and Unsteady Wind Tunnel Experiments and Flight Experiments.

Insect-scale flapping wing flight vehicles can conduct environmental monitoring, disaster assessment, mapping, positioning and security in complex and challenging surroundings. To develop bio-inspired flight vehicles, systematic probing based on the particular category of flight vehicles is needed. This Element addresses the aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, geometry, stability and dynamics of flexible flapping wings in the insect flight regime. The authors highlight distinct features and issues, contrast aerodynamic stability between rigid and flexible wings, present the implications of the wing-aspect ratio, and use canonical models and dragonflies to elucidate scientific insight as well as technical capabilities of bio-inspired design.

'Nature's Flyers' is a detailed account of the current scientific understanding of the primary aspects of flight in nature. The author explains the physical basis of flight, drawing upon bats, birds, insects, pterosaurs and even winged seeds.

Shock wave-boundary-layer interaction (SBLI) is a fundamental phenomenon in gas dynamics that is observed in many practical situations, ranging from transonic aircraft wings to hypersonic vehicles and engines. SBLIs have the potential to pose serious problems in a flowfield; hence they often prove to be a critical - or even design limiting - issue for many aerospace applications. This is the first book devoted solely to a comprehensive, state-of-the-art explanation of this phenomenon. It includes a description of the basic fluid mechanics of SBLIs plus contributions from leading international experts who share their insight into their physics and the impact they have in practical flow situations. This book is for practitioners and graduate students in aerodynamics who wish to familiarize themselves with all aspects of SBLI flows. It is a valuable resource for specialists because it compiles experimental, computational and theoretical knowledge in one place.