How Dragonfly Inspired Micro Air Vehicle Wings

Libellula depressa · Animal · Near freshwater habitats worldwide

What if the solution to efficient low-speed lift generation had already been perfected — by a dragonfly over 300 million years of evolution?

The Natural Innovation

Dragonflies have four independently controlled wings, each with a corrugated cross-section. The corrugations add structural stiffness without adding weight — like a corrugated cardboard box — and create beneficial turbulence on the upper surface that delays stall. Their catch rate in aerial hunting exceeds 95%.

The dragonfly lives in Near freshwater habitats worldwide.

In the language of biomimicry, this falls under the Move › Generate efficient lift at low speeds category.

The Design Principle

Corrugated wing cross-sections maintain structural rigidity at minimal weight while the ridges generate leading-edge vortices that keep airflow attached at high angles of attack — critical for slow, hovering, or highly maneuverable flight.

Human Applications

Corrugated wing designs for micro air vehicles (MAVs) and UAVs that must fly efficiently at low Reynolds numbers (small scale, low speed) where conventional smooth airfoils stall easily.

Real-world implementations include: Dragonfly-inspired MAV wings (TU Delft DelFly), corrugated membrane UAV wings, 4-rotor independent control drone systems.

Source: AskNature.org