Rapid area change in pitch-up manoeuvres of small perching birds

• Published in: Bioinspiration & biomimetics Vol. 10; no. 6; p. 066004
• Main Authors: Polet, D T, Rival, D E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IOP Publishing 26.10.2015
• Subjects: Acceleration; aerodynamics; Aircraft - instrumentation; Animals; Biological Clocks - physiology; Biomimetics; Biomimetics - instrumentation; Biomimetics - methods; bird flight; Birds - physiology; Computer Simulation; Deceleration; Dissipation; Drag; Energy Transfer - physiology; Flight, Animal - physiology; Landing; Lift; Mathematical analysis; micro aerial vehicles; Models, Biological; perching; Posture - physiology; Potential energy; rapid area change; Robotics - instrumentation; Shear Strength - physiology; Wings, Animal - physiology

Rapid pitch-up has been highlighted as a mechanism to generate large lift and drag during landing manoeuvres. However, pitching rates had not been measured previously in perching birds, and so the direct applicability of computations and experiments to observed behaviour was not known. We measure pi...