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Performance Task

Flying Robot Design

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hertz (Hz):

cycles per second.

gram-force (gF):

The amount of force exerted by gravity on 1 gram of matter.

gram-force (gF):

The amount of force exerted by gravity on 1 gram of matter.

Create a Flying Robot

Create a Flying Robot

You are a member of a team that is creating a prototype for a flying robot. For each wing design, your team measures lift forces for various flapping frequencies. The tables show the results. Choose a wing design and a frame style for your robot and find the minimum flapping frequency needed for your robot to take flight.

Hint: Using the general form of a quadratic equation, $$y = ax^2 + bx + c$$, substitute three different pairs of $$x$$- and $$y$$-values from the table of your chosen design. Then solve the resulting linear system in three variables.


Wing A
Wing A
(table, Wing A) Frequency (Hz), x = 10, 13, 16, 19 and Lift Force (gf), y = 3.2, 7.1, 11.8, 16.9.
Wing B
Wing B
(table, Wing B) Frequency (Hz), x = 11, 14, 17, 20 and Lift Force (gf), y = 3.3, 6.1, 9.4, 13.1.
Wing C
Wing C
(table, Wing C) Frequency (Hz), x = 12, 15, 18, 21 and Lift Force (gf), y = 4.6, 8.0, 11.9, 16.4.

Frame A
22 grams

Frame B
20 grams

Frame C
12 grams

Did You Know?

  • Flying robots are useful for search and rescue missions beceause they can quickly survey large areas and relay information to rescue teams.
  • The characteristics of flying insects are researched and replicated in the design of flying robots.

Find Out More — Search Topics

  • Flying robot design
  • Aerial robotics