The aerodynamics of flight control in insects

Department of Integrative Biology
University of California, Berkeley

Abstract-
The application of conventional aerodynamic theory to the flapping wing motion of insects predicts forces that are too low to keep the animal aloft. This failure of conventional steady-state theory has fueled the search for unsteady mechanisms that might account for the elevated performance of insect wings. In order to facilitate this search, we constructed a large dynamically scaled model of a flapping fruit fly. Direct measurement of the forces and flows produced by a flapping wing suggests that the aerodynamics of insect flight may be explained by the interaction of three distinct, yet interactive mechanisms: delayed stall, rotational circulation, and wake capture. While delayed stall is a translational mechanism, rotational circulation and wake capture depend explicitly on the rapid rotation of the wings during stroke reversal. The regulation of rotational phase provides insects with a potent means of controlling flight forces during steering maneuvers. A general theory of insect aerodynamics that incorporates both translational and rotational mechanisms shows promise in explaining the force generating mechanisms of many species as well providing insight for the design of biomimetic robots.

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