Micro blimps exhibit significant potential for applications in environmental monitoring and disaster rescue. Nonetheless, traditional propulsion methods for micro blimps encounter challenges such as complex mechanical structures, intricate attitude control, and large volumes. This paper present a novel compact and lightweight bio-inspired flapping-wing-driven micro robotic blimp actuated by piezoelectric (PZT), featuring a simplified structure and achieving three-degree-of-freedom (DOF) motion control with only two flapping-wing thruster units. We present a high-voltage drive-sense-control circuit and adaptive control strategy, enabling wireless remote control, onboard attitude sensing, and closed-loop yaw control. The proposed micro robotic blimp, powered by an onboard battery, measures 15 cm in major axis and weighs 1.53 g, achieves a maneuvering speed of 17 cm/s, and angular velocity reaches 12°/s with a yaw angle control accuracy of 0.5°. As the smallest and lightest known self-powered micro blimp capable of stable yaw control, the platform demonstrates excellent endurance and environmental stealth characteristics and advances the design of micro aerial vehicles by offering a novel and efficient approach.

Insect-scale flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FWMAVs) employing piezoelectric direct-drive configurations eliminate traditional kinematic chains through direct coupling of the wing and actuator. While this design approach significantly reduces structural complexity and manufacturing costs compared to transmission-dependent systems, it inherently limits wing stroke amplitude and consequent lift generation. This paper presents a novel lift-enhancement strategy for piezoelectric direct-drive FWMAVs, effectively improving payload capacity through optimized aerodynamic performance. The redesigned X-configuration prototype demonstrates outstanding metrics: 68 mm wingspan with 212 mg total mass achieves 7.47 mN maximum lift (exceeding 3.5:1 lift-to-weight ratio) and 1.25 m/s takeoff speed. Experimental validation confirms 39% payload capacity improvement and 34% lift-to-weight ratio enhancement compared to baseline designs. This enhancement establishes our robot as the current state-of-the-art in piezoelectric direct-drive FWMAVs regarding lift-to-weight ratio.

Using standard idea from differential topology, this paper presents a detailed analysis of the topology structure of configuration space of general close-chain mechanisms. A diffeomorphic theorem on configuration space is proposed and its proof is given by using the Morse theory and critical value theory. Relations between the configuration space singularity and topology structure are described, which show that the topology structure of configuration space of close-chain mechanisms will change at the configuration singularity. Finally, the topology structure of a four-bar planar mechanism is analyzed, as an example, to verify the proposed theorem.