Abstract
In recent years, small flap flying objects and Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) are developed actively at home and abroad. Until now, a number of researchers have attempted to develop small flap flying objects and MAV with various actuators and devices however they have not reached practical use at the present time. One of the reasons is that flying mechanism of insects has not been clarified sufficiently. It is well known that a butterfly combines flapping motion of its wing with gliding to fly and the figure of flying is very beautiful. However, the details of flying mechanism have not been understood sufficiently. In this study, the vortex flow structure developed on the butterfly wing has been clarified by using PIV measurement.
