2024-08-08 ロイヤルメルボルン工科大学(RMIT)
<関連情報>
- https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2024/august/kestrel-flight
- https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/227/15/jeb247305/361474/Steady-as-they-hover-kinematics-of-kestrel-wing
ホバリング時の安定性:ホバリング飛行中のチョウゲンボウの翼と尾の変形運動学 Steady as they hover: kinematics of kestrel wing and tail morphing during hovering flights
Mario Martinez Groves-Raines,George Yi,Matthew Penn,Simon Watkins,Shane Windsor,Abdulghani Mohamed
Journal of Experimental Biology Published:07 August 2024
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.247305
ABSTRACT
Wind-hovering birds exhibit remarkable steadiness in flight, achieved through the morphing of their wings and tail. We analysed the kinematics of two nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) engaged in steady wind-hovering flights in a smooth flow wind tunnel. Motion-tracking cameras were used to capture the movements of the birds as they maintained their position. The motion of the birds’ head and body, and the morphing motions of their wings and tail were tracked and analysed using correlation methods. The results revealed that wing sweep, representing the flexion/extension movement of the wing, played a significant role in wing motion. Additionally, correlations between different independent degrees of freedom (DoF), including wing and tail coupling, were observed. These kinematic couplings indicate balancing of forces and moments necessary for steady wind hovering. Variation in flight behaviour between the two birds highlighted the redundancy of DoF and the versatility of wing morphing in achieving control. This study provides insights into fixed-wing craft flight control from the avian world and may inspire novel flight control strategies for future fixed-wing aircraft.