Flying animals achieve something that still challenges engineers: they generate lift, thrust, and control using flapping wings – structures that are incredibly light, flexible, and change shape. One of the key features enabling the unique performance of birds is the ability to dynamically control the size, shape and motion of their wings.

The project

In this project, you will work with researchers at the Department of Biology. You will design and build new types of wings for a robotic flapping platform used to study animal flight. The goal is not to copy existing designs, but to explore novel solutions: wings that combine structural integrity with controlled changes in shape, and that can withstand repeated flapping while producing useful aerodynamic forces.

What you will do

You will work hands-on with small-scale structures, where details matter. How stiffness is distributed, how parts are connected, and how the structure deforms during motion all influence performance. This is a project for someone who enjoys thinking about mechanics in three dimensions, and who is willing to iterate between ideas, prototypes, and testing.

The work will likely involve a combination of design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation. Depending on your interests, it may also include elements of modelling or simulation. You will have access to a unique robotic setup* and the opportunity to test your designs under realistic conditions.

Your qualifications

This project is particularly suitable if you:

• enjoy open-ended design problems rather than predefined solutions
• have an interest in structures, materials, or mechanical design
• like building things at small scales
• are curious about how engineering and biology meet

If you are looking for a thesis that is both challenging and creative, and where you can develop something genuinely new, this project offers that opportunity.

Contact

If you are interested in this project and would like to know more, contact Axel Nordin via e-mail: axel.nordin@design.lth.se

* A description of the platform can be found here:
Ajanic, E., Paolini, A., Coster, C., Floreano, D. and Johansson, C. (2023). Robotic Avian Wing Explains Aerodynamic Advantages of Wing Folding and Stroke Tilting in Flapping Flight. Advanced Intelligent Systems 5, 2200148. https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202200148