Abstract Flying insects are able to hover and perform agile maneuvers by relying on their flapping wings to produce control forces, as well as flight forces, due to the absence of tail control surfaces. Insects have therefore become a source of inspiration for the development of tailless, hover-capable flapping-wing air vehicles (FWAVs). However, the technical difficulty involved in designing and building such a complicated and compact system within a limited takeoff weight for it to remain airborne is a major barrier. Consequently, among the many developed vehicles, only a few are capable of free flight. In this review paper, we survey recent developments of insect-inspired tailless FWAVs in various sizes from micro-to pico-scale, with different types of driving actuator, mechanism design, wing configuration, and control strategy. We discuss the capability of free flight and flight endurance of the FWAVs, which are limited by current electronics and power technologies that severely constrain those vehicles using other driving actuators, rather than conventional electromagnetic motors, to freely take off. Achievements in the development of FWAVs demonstrate their potential for future applications, both in the military and civilian fields. In addition, further integration with other modes of locomotion, such as crawling, jumping, perching, self-wing-folding, and water-diving, can be a future direction of a FWAV to fully adapt the biologically locomotive strategies in nature, and to increase the range of applications.

中文翻译：

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受昆虫启发、无尾、可悬停的扑翼机器人：最新进展、挑战和未来方向

摘要 飞行昆虫由于没有尾翼控制面，能够依靠拍动的翅膀产生控制力和飞行力，从而实现悬停和敏捷机动。因此，昆虫已成为开发无尾、可悬停的扑翼飞行器 (FWAV) 的灵感来源。然而，在有限的起飞重量内设计和建造如此复杂而紧凑的系统以使其保持在空中的技术难度是一个主要障碍。因此，在众多开发的车辆中，只有少数能够自由飞行。在这篇综述论文中，我们调查了从微型到皮尺度的各种尺寸的受昆虫启发的无尾 FWAV 的最新发展，具有不同类型的驱动执行器、机构设计、机翼配置和控制策略。我们讨论了 FWAV 的自由飞行能力和飞行续航能力，这些能力受到当前电子和电力技术的限制，这些技术严重限制了使用其他驱动执行器而不是传统电磁马达的车辆自由起飞。FWAV 的发展成就证明了它们在未来军事和民用领域的应用潜力。此外，进一步与其他运动方式，如爬行、跳跃、栖息、自动折叠和潜水等运动方式的结合，可以成为 FWAV 的未来发展方向，以充分适应自然界的生物运动策略，并扩大应用范围。受当前电子和电力技术的限制，这些技术严重限制了使用其他驱动器而非传统电磁马达的车辆自由起飞。FWAV 的发展成就证明了它们在未来军事和民用领域的应用潜力。此外，进一步与其他运动方式，如爬行、跳跃、栖息、自动折叠和潜水等运动方式的结合，可以成为 FWAV 的未来发展方向，以充分适应自然界的生物运动策略，并扩大应用范围。受当前电子和电力技术的限制，这些技术严重限制了使用其他驱动器而非传统电磁马达的车辆自由起飞。FWAV 的发展成就证明了它们在未来军事和民用领域的应用潜力。此外，进一步与其他运动方式，如爬行、跳跃、栖息、自动折叠和潜水等运动方式的结合，可以成为 FWAV 的未来发展方向，以充分适应自然界的生物运动策略，并扩大应用范围。