Into Turbulent Air: Hummingbird Aerodynamic Control in Unsteady Circumstances
Abstract
We have completed and published experimental results and analysis pertaining to flight of hummingbirds within variably-sized von Krmn wakes. This work demonstrated high compensatory capacity to maintain stable flight in the face of continuous and unpredictable perturbation, and illustrated size-dependence of variance in wing and body motions such that vortices large enough to interact with both wings elicited the greatest changes in roll, pitch, and yaw fluctuations, and also induced major increases in metabolic costs of flight. We have also completed studies of hummingbird hovering flight within a vertical wind tunnel to enable study of the vortex ring state, a well-known problem in helicopter descent.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 24, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1011662
Entities
People
- Robert Dudley
Organizations
- University of California Regents