Experimental Research on Foldable Gliding Wing with Flap Wing

Yuxuan  Lin; Zhengxi Lin; Kaizhi Yang

doi:10.54254/2755-2721/2025.GL27442

Applied and Computational EngineeringOpen access

Experimental Research on Foldable Gliding Wing with Flap Wing

Research Article

Open Access

Experimental Research on Foldable Gliding Wing with Flap Wing

Yuxuan Lin ^1* Zhengxi Lin ², Kaizhi Yang ³

¹ Hangzhou Xizi Experimental School International Department

² Jurong Country Garden School

³ HD Shanghai School

^*Corresponding author: 3621903299@qq.com

Published on 2 October 2025

ACE Vol.187

ISSN (Print): 2755-273X

ISSN (Online): 2755-2721

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-393-2

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-394-9

Download Cover

Abstract

Most of the gliders need to be assembled and disassembled before and after flight. After reviewing the information, we found that there are almost no semi-automatic foldable gliders on the market. Based on the four-bar linkage and slider structure of the umbrella, we designed two umbrella-like structures to fold the glider's wings and its tripod—one on the upper part and one on the bottom part. These two umbrella-like elements are controlled by the same main slider, which is placed in the horizontal direction at the middle part of the entire structure (one on both the left half and the right half). Meanwhile, glider wings may encounter many obstacles and weather conditions, such as wind and rain, during flight. In order to adapt to wind velocity and detour obstacles, we have decided to use another four-bar linkage structure to adjust the elevation angles of the left and right wings separately. There are four such four-bar linkage structures on the wings (two on both the left half and the right half). If the speeds of the left wing and the right wing are not the same, the direction of flight can be changed. Thus, this structure can facilitate takeoff, speed adjustment, and direction change.

Keywords:

automatic, foldable, Adjustable elevation angle, four-bar linkage, umbrella-like elements

View PDF

References

[1]. Zhong, Y. (2025). Motion structures: Deployable assemblies of mechanisms [PowerPoint slides]. University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science.

[2]. Zhong, Y. (2007). Motion structures extend their reach. Materials Today, 10(12), 53–57.

[3]. Wang, X., & You, Y. (2021). Design and analysis of bionic cobweb Umbrella-Type deployable mechanism. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 167, 104569.

[4]. Zhang, J., Hou, Y., You, C., & Li, C. J. (2023). Design and kinematics characteristics of transient folding mechanism for flapping wing aircraft. Mechanical Science and Technology for Aerospace Engineering. https: //doi.org/10.13433/j.cnki.1003-8728.20230302(in Chinese)

[5]. Kesel, A. B., Philippi, U., & Nachtigall, W. (1998). Biomechanical aspects of the insect wing: an analysis using the finite element method. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 28(4), 423-437.

[6]. Truong, Q.-T., Argyoganendro, B. W., & Park, H. C. (2014). Design and demonstration of insect mimicking foldable artificial wing using four-bar linkage systems. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 11(4), 449-458.

[7]. Zhao, Z. F., Qi, M. S., Feng, J. K., Zhang, W., Wang, J. Y., & Zhang, J. P. (2017). Design and Simulation of Ornithopter based on Four-bar Mechanism. Journal of Mechanical Transmission, 41(11), 87 - 91. (in Chinese)

[8]. Rooney, J., & Duffy, J. (1972). Optimum Synthesis of Four-Bar Mechanism by Using Relative Angle Method: A Comparative Performance Study. In: 12th ASME Mechanisms Conference (pp. 1-12). San Francisco: [s. n.].

[9]. Yang, T. L. (1996). Basic theory of mechanical systems: Structural studies, kinematics, kinetics. Beijing: China Machine Press. (in Chinese)

[10]. Faber, J., Kurahashi, T., & Saito, K. (2023). Earwig-inspired foldable origami wing for micro air vehicle gliding. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 10, 1255666.

[11]. Subash, T., Touseef, Y., Patel, D. Y., Gowda, H. N. H., & Soniya, K. S. (2024). Literature study on foldable flapping wing mechanisms. International Advanced Research Journal in Science, Engineering and Technology, 11(3), 80–90.

References

[1]. Zhong, Y. (2025). Motion structures: Deployable assemblies of mechanisms [PowerPoint slides]. University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science.

[2]. Zhong, Y. (2007). Motion structures extend their reach. Materials Today, 10(12), 53–57.

[3]. Wang, X., & You, Y. (2021). Design and analysis of bionic cobweb Umbrella-Type deployable mechanism. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 167, 104569.

[5]. Kesel, A. B., Philippi, U., & Nachtigall, W. (1998). Biomechanical aspects of the insect wing: an analysis using the finite element method. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 28(4), 423-437.

[9]. Yang, T. L. (1996). Basic theory of mechanical systems: Structural studies, kinematics, kinetics. Beijing: China Machine Press. (in Chinese)

[10]. Faber, J., Kurahashi, T., & Saito, K. (2023). Earwig-inspired foldable origami wing for micro air vehicle gliding. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 10, 1255666.

Cite this article

Lin,Y.;Lin,Z.;Yang,K. (2025). Experimental Research on Foldable Gliding Wing with Flap Wing. Applied and Computational Engineering,187,20-30.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of CONF-FMCE 2025 Symposium: Semantic Communication for Media Compression and Transmission

ISBN: 978-1-80590-393-2(Print) / 978-1-80590-394-9(Online)

Editor: Anil Fernando

Conference website: https://2025.conffmce.org/glasgow.html

Conference date: 24 October 2025

Series: Applied and Computational Engineering

Volume number: Vol.187

ISSN: 2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who publish this series agree to the following terms:

1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this series.

2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this series.

3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See Open access policy for details).