‘Ornithopter’ soars at ‘Vimanas 2013’

Aircraft was prepared using foam sheets and plywood, primarily were used for spying purposes

TAKEOFF: Student trying an aeromodel at the National level workshop on Aeromodeling at Periyar maniammai university in Thanjavur on Saturday. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj

Every one will have an urge to fly. Be it in sky or in life. While flying in sky is fun and entertainment, coming up with flying colours in life is real achievement.

“Vimanas 2013”, national-level aero modelling workshop held at Periyar Maniammai University on Saturday, provided the opportunity for students to prepare aircraft models and made them fly before an audience.

The students operated Ornithopter and Remote-Controlled Aircraft much to the delight of the audience.

Group captain Moorthy, Commander of Air Force Station Thanjavur, saw the flights.

As the ornithopter, which looked like a bird, flew in the sky, audience clapped, and appreciated the students. Remote-controlled aircraft made very few rounds in the sky.

Greek name

R.K. Muthuraman, Associate Professor and organiser of the workshop, said that Ornithopter derived its name from Greek words Ornithos meaning birds and pteron meaning wings.

The students, who prepared the Ornithopter that was flown at PMU on Saturday, used feathers, laminated sheets, and plywood. Remote-controlled aircraft were prepared using foam sheets and plywood, Mr. Muthuraman said.

A. Kathiravan, M. Chellapandi, R. Vishnuraj, L. Adarsh, and Kumar, all first year students of PMU who prepared the remote-controlled aircraft, said they used brushless motor, five volts battery, electronic-speed controller, and servos to prepare the model.

Another set of students Arunkumar, Seralathan, and Easwaran from the Nehru Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, have prepared a remote-controlled aircraft, and flew it.

Bird like craft

Ornithopters were used for spying purposes. As it looked like a bird, it could be made to sit on trees along with birds and collect information. “It will look like a bird but it is not a bird but a remote-controlled bird,” said the students who prepared it.

The two-day conference was inaugurated on Friday by Wg. Cdr. M. Jeyakumar, IGLA Flights, Air Force Station, Thanjavur.

He told students about the scope in Indian Air Force for young engineers to pursue their career. He told students how to get into Indian Air Force. N. Ramachandran, Vice-Chancellor, PMU, participated.