4 ms·
Yes, the tendency to shed vortices is much greater at small scales. A rapid flapping motion is basically a vortex generator and more efficient than a wing (rota
by nether 11y ago
Yes, the tendency to shed vortices is much greater at small scales. A rapid flapping motion is basically a vortex generator and more efficient than a wing (rotating or fixed) which relies more on steady state, laminar flow. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number for more explanation.
- mtrpcic 11y agoAdditionally, the energy required (relevant to total mass) to generate lift is a lot smaller at this scale thanks to the Square-cube law[0], and it's a lot more efficient to flap a wing on an as-needed basis than to run a rotor at a continual and steady rotation. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square-cube_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square-cube_law