Reflection- Sathveer Roopah

The most interesting part of the subject was how the use of natural concepts found in nature could help us in developing necessary solutions which could solve for issues in developing new technology that can help the sustainability for human beings on this planet. The basics of using biomimicry to solve for human problems is a very suitable approach but still very controversial if the subject addressed cannot be executed with proper engineering tools and equipment’s. Hence making the best of the subject we have, the relation of mechanics to natural behaviors can be related and found a way to bring the technology together. In our case, the subject helped the team to learn more about the fascinating eagle and its wings. The eagle has a very large wing span that helps the big bird in fast flight for attacks and other maneuvers. Compared to the other birds eagles have separate feather tips at the end of the wings which allows the reduction of drag forces along the body. Hence by implementing the technology in modern aircrafts., the industry of aviation can help in reducing the overall usage of fuel consumption for planes as drag forces would be reduced Hence increasing the sustainability of the industry and remain a competitive part of the traveling industry. Also with bigger planes coming into play, this technology can be used to develop a sensible way of operating big aircrafts around several airports and reach out more passengers than before as the winglets can help in developing small wings for big planes.

The design of such product using the basics of eagle winglets can be very interesting in the way the product responds to the sustainability and reliability. Hence implementing such technology to the aircrafts, the cost saving is increased, less energy is used and less pollution occurs. The fact that natural resources of fuel is depleting rapidly, we should think outside the box to find new ways of reducing the dependency on fossil fuel by increasing efficiency on the aircraft itself. Hence it is advisable for the solution to be implemented and used based on its simplicity and low-cost production.

Based upon previous group studies carried out for other modules at the university, team work is always a better point of working out a project. Various ideas and different concepts/point of views can be found from the team as the brainstorming process goes on. Working as a team can help in having different point of views and help in generating new ideas that can be potentially lifesaving or revolutionary if the engineering tools and techniques are applied properly with a good team work. Moreover, working as a team, we can achieve completion of the project in time and thus with even distribution of tasks among the team members, learning is never ending process as knowledge is shared.

Reflection by Wen Yong Xiang

The most remarkable idea of biomimicry inspired by an eagle is the winglet of an aircraft. The features from the eagle’s wings have inspired aircraft companies to create winglets at the tip of the wings. This winglet reduces the formation of vortex created at the end of the wing. Therefore, it significantly reduces the drag force and this helps to increase the efficiency of the aircraft. As mentioned in the blog earlier, it could save tons of fuel in a long run and this eventually save cost and the environment.

The implementation of the winglet on the aircraft’s wings is patentable as it increases the efficiency and sustainability of the aircraft in the long run. As drag reduces, the energy required for the aircraft to fly up reduces as well. This will reduce the fuel consumption and therefore cutting down the operation cost. Currently, there are numerous designs available in the market but our design is easier to be manufactured than the rests because of the simplicity of the design.

The team consisted of 5 members including myself. The tasks were distributed evenly to all members. Therefore, each member has a specific and meaningful task to complete. Through this, this assignment is successfully completed within the due date. 

Danial's Reflection

The most interesting proposed used of biomimicry that was developed was the inspiration of eagles that significantly reduced drag on aircraft. Drag has always been an issue in vehicles, especially when it come to flying vehicle where efficient flight is important. Simple change of wing design, by adding winglet on wingtips, would drastically reduced air vortex, causing lesser drag. It may save around 1 or 2% of energy, but in terms of fuel saving, it could save up to thousand tons of fuel in a year per flight. This resulted in significant positive outlook. 

The design of the aircraft wingtip is patentable as it proved significant results in efficient flight and energy savings. Currently, there are many winglet designs that has been patent, each has its own distinctive feature with its uniqueness. 

Working as a team has made this project easier as more members are available to complete certain tasks. Huge project or assignment such as this can be easily broken down into smaller, easier and more meaningful tasks, which can be assigned by every member. The tasks can be easily be finished in this manner. 

Nazween's Reflection

The interesting part of an eagle is that it is able to control flight which enables the eagle to control the drag acted upon the wings. This happens when the eagle control the feathers angle and direction by contracting or relaxing the wings muscle which allows the air to pass through at different surface areas. By doing so, an eagle is able to be swift and dive down to capture prays. This is most probably the most interesting feature to be mimicked onto real life scale.

It has already been patented and applied on real life scale. This shows that there is a value or market for the design. It helps reduce drag and makes it more fuel efficient which is highly affordable compared to previous designs. Also, airline companies have been studying further on the length of the winglet of the aircraft that can be applied to current airplanes to reduce the drag.

Since its semester 8, everyone is busy with their own task and activities that everyone can ship in little by little to ensure that the blog is run smoothly. Without them, it would have been a burden to even handle all the researching and blog writing individually. Also, having more ideas and sharing them makes it easier to brainstorm and think of ideas.