Snehit Gupta supervised by Dr. Harikumar K received his  Master of Science –  Dual Degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering  (ECD). Here’s a summary of his research work on Design and Analysis of aModular Flapping Wing Robot with a Swappable Powertrain Module:

Flapping-wing robots (FWRs) have garnered significant attention in bio-inspired robotics due to their ability to replicate the highly efficient and manoeuvrable flight of birds and insects. Unlike traditional aerial vehicles, FWRs generate lift and thrust through unsteady aerodynamics, allowing for improved agility and safer operation in confined or complex environments. While early research focused on fundamental aerodynamic modelling and control, recent advancements have explored hybrid propulsion systems, morphing wing designs, and lightweight, high-efficiency actuation mechanisms to enhance endurance and payload. However, most existing research follows a trade-off between range and payload capacity, limiting adaptability for mission-specific tasks. This thesis presents an innovative approach to addressing this limitation by developing a modular flapping-wing robot (FWR) with a swappable powertrain module. The proposed system enables dynamic switching between payload-focused and endurance-optimized flight profiles by designing interchangeable motor-gearbox configurations and varying flapping kinematics. The research investigates the effects of flapping frequency, stroke amplitude, and tandem auxiliary propulsion on flight performance, leveraging simulation tools like PteraSoftware to refine aerodynamic efficiency. Two powertrain modules are fabricated and tested—one optimized for high-frequency flapping to support payload capacities and another with a tandem propeller to reduce flapping effort and extend range. The flight data collected over multiple experimental flight tests validate the adaptability of this modular design, demonstrating its effectiveness in altering mission capabilities without redesigning the entire platform. Beyond enhancing versatility in FWRs, this research contributes to the broader field by addressing key challenges in adaptive aerial robotics. The findings have direct applications in search-and-rescue missions, environmental monitoring, and silent surveillance, where traditional UAVs face operational constraints. Furthermore, the modularity principle introduced here opens pathways for integrating emerging actuation technologies, such as dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA), for future iterations of highly efficient, autonomous flapping-wing robots. Through this thesis, we aim to push the boundaries of biomimetic flight, offering a scalable and reconfigurable approach to mission-specific aerial robotics.

Snehit Gupta received the best paper finalist award for this research at the IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation (IEEE ICMA 2024).

July 2025