Event
Aerospace Seminar Series | Multi-fidelity Computational Tools for Biologically Inspired Flight
Thursday, September 10, 2015
11:30 a.m.
Christine Hartzell
hartzell@umd.edu
http://www.aero.umd.edu/events/seminars
Aerospace Engineering Seminar Series
Multi-fidelity Computational Tools for Biologically Inspired Flight
Speaker: Dr. David J. Willis
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Abstract:
Biological fliers present a unique and attractive solution for flight at low Reynolds numbers. Birds and bats in particular present effective and efficient strategies for highly efficient, maneuverable and agile flight in a low-moderate Reynolds Number regime. Developing similarly sized micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) with similar qualities and performance is a substantial challenge due to our understanding and ability to manipulate flow structures at this Reynolds number regime as well as the large flapping wing parameter space. The talk will present our work on the development and use of multi-fidelity computational ap-proaches for biological flight. The talk will discuss how lower fidelity methods such as wake-only methods can be instrumental in narrowing a design space while inviscid tools can be used to guide flapping wing designs.
Bio: David Willis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His primary research interests lie in external aerodynamics and engineering education, including: computational aerodynamics tool development, biologically-inspired gliding and flapping flight, parachutes/aerodynamic decelerators, wind energy, student motivation and new approaches for incorporating hands-on engineering in the classroom.