The Mystery of Biology: Why Can't We Build Airplanes With Wings Like Dragonflies?

Although humans have successfully created many different types of biological robots, there is still a mystery that puzzles scientists. That is, why can't we successfully create a robot that mimics the way a dragonfly flaps its wings?

The structure of dragonfly wings is very complex and difficult to imitate.

The structure of a dragonfly wing is a wonderful combination of nuances. The wing has a smooth and hard surface, consisting of a transparent and elastic membrane. There are many small, fine particles between these membranes, creating complex textures and wrinkles. If you look closely, you will also see that the dragonfly wing has many microscopic capillary structures, which help to increase the stability and flexibility of the wing. All of these detailed structures work together to allow the dragonfly wing to withstand extremely high pressures and vibrations during flight.

Dragonfly wings can perform rapid and precise wing-strike movements, which is key to their ability to maintain stable flight in the air. The base of a dragonfly's wings is made up of a series of contractile and elongated muscles, the coordinated contraction of which allows them to rapidly extend and fold the wings. Additionally, the many joints and ligaments on a dragonfly's wings allow the wings to rotate flexibly in different angles and directions. This complex and precise wing-strike mechanism allows dragonflies to "dance" through the air with incredible speed and agility.

Dragonfly wings can perform rapid wing-spanning movements. (Illustration photo).

Many scientists and engineers have attempted to mimic the structure and function of dragonfly wings for use in man-made aircraft design. However, the complexity of dragonfly wings poses a challenge.

First, it is difficult to create complex thin film materials with similar textures and wrinkles.

Second, reproducing the fine capillary structure on the wing requires complex technology and materials.

In addition, mimicking the precision and speed of the dragonfly's wing-spreading mechanism is also a huge challenge. These limitations make the biological design of the dragonfly's wing still an unsolved mystery.

The movement of dragonfly wings is unique and difficult to copy.

The way dragonfly wings move is achieved through a series of complex, precise muscle and nerve manipulations. Dragonfly wings are made up of two pairs of independent muscles that work together to move the wings up and down. Unlike other insects, dragonfly wings can flap at very high amplitude and frequency during movement, which gives dragonflies powerful flight power.

The unique way dragonfly wings move makes them important in scientific research and technological applications. First, studying how dragonfly wings move helps us understand and explain how flight works in nature. This has a guiding role in the development of human flight technology and can help us design more stable and efficient flying devices.

Dragonfly wings can flap with very high amplitude and frequency during movement. (Illustration photo).

The movement of dragonfly wings is also widely used in robotics . Scientists take inspiration from dragonflies and imitate their unique movements to design robots that can fly efficiently and maintain stability. These biorobots play an important role in areas such as rescue operations, surveillance, and reconnaissance, providing greater convenience and safety for humans.

Although the way the dragonfly moves its wings is unique, scientists are still working hard to study and replicate it. By studying the anatomy and movement of dragonfly wings in depth, we can find more innovative ideas and techniques to optimize robot design and improve flight technology.

Flapping wing mechanism manufacturing technology has not met expectations.

Traditional materials such as metals and plastics often present limitations in the design of complex flapping mechanisms. They can be too heavy, not stiff enough, or cause friction and energy loss. At the same time, current manufacturing processes cannot meet the needs of manufacturing small and complex flapping structures. These limitations make it difficult to create an effective flapping mechanism.

The technology to control the flapping mechanism is also a challenge. (Illustration photo).

Flapping wing control technology is also a challenge. Flapping wing motion requires precise control to achieve stable flight and maneuverability. However, current control technology often fails to meet the requirements of complex wing control mechanisms. To achieve efficient flight, flapping mechanisms need to be able to quickly and accurately adjust the angle and speed of the wings. This requires advanced control algorithms and precise sensor technology, but current technology cannot fully meet these requirements.

The durability of flapping mechanisms is also an issue. One of the goals of bioengineering research is to create long-lasting flapping mechanisms that enable reliable flight. However, current materials and fabrication techniques are not yet able to meet the long-term operational requirements of flapping wing mechanisms. Challenges facing flapping wing mechanisms include fatigue and material loss, as well as structural weaknesses and components that are susceptible to failure during manufacturing.

Current materials and manufacturing technology do not meet the long-term operating requirements of flapping wing mechanisms. (Illustration photo).

The practical applications of the dragonfly aircraft are limited and may not be of practical significance.

Limitation 1: Each flap of a dragonfly's wings costs a lot of energy. Dragonflies have a large number of muscles in their bodies that allow them to flap their wings rapidly. However, in the field of robotics, achieving similar flutter speeds requires a large amount of electricity. Current power technologies have yet to provide lightweight, efficient batteries or other power solutions, so the practicality of dragonfly aircraft is severely limited.

Limitation 2: The stability of the dragonfly aircraft is another challenge. Dragonflies can maintain stability by adjusting the shape and angle of their wings during flight. However, in the case of robots, it is not easy to accurately mimic the flight posture of dragonflies. Current robotic technology still needs to be improved in terms of complex aerodynamics and attitude control, which makes the application of dragonfly aircraft in practice difficult.

The practicality of the dragonfly aircraft is severely limited. (Illustration photo).

Limitation 3: The body structure of a dragonfly is very delicate and can carry its body, wings, sensors, etc. lightly. However, turning this fragile structure into a robot is a huge challenge. Current technology cannot yet reproduce similar dimensions and payloads, which limits the practical application of dragonfly aircraft.