Patent ID: 8210471

Claim:
An air vehicle comprising: a support structure comprising: a flapping drive element; a first airfoil rotatably attached to the support structure; and a second airfoil rotatably attached to the support structure; wherein the first airfoil comprises a first root spar and a first membrane attached to the first root spar, the first airfoil configured to be driven to flap via the flapping drive element; and wherein the second air foil comprises a second root spar and a second membrane attached to the second root spar, the second airfoil configured to be driven to flap via the flapping drive element; wherein air vehicle control about at least one axis of the vehicle is effected by at least one of: a variable membrane luffing; variable root spar rotation travel limitation; and variable flapping angular velocity of the flapping drive element; and wherein the flapping drive element comprises: a rotating element having a center of rotation and a plane of rotation; a first capstan mounted about a shaft, the shaft attached to the rotating element distal from the center of rotation and substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation; a first rocker member rotatably attached to a support structure; a first drive link rotatably attached to the first capstan and the first rocker member; a first arm rotatably attached to the support structure and rotatably attached to the first rocker member via a first rocker link; a second capstan mounted about the shaft; a second rocker member rotatably attached to the support structure; a second drive link rotatably attached to the second capstan and the second rocker member; and a second arm rotatably attached to the support structure and rotatably attached to the second rocker member via a second rocker link.