Robot flies like a bird
This is a view of PigeonBot II without covering, showing the feathers and some of the mechanics.
Credit: Eric Chang, Lentink Lab
Have you ever wondered why an airplane has a vertical tailfin? The plane needs it to stabilize its flight. Since flying without a vertical tail is much more energy-efficient, the aviation industry has worked hard to accomplish this – so far without much success. However, birds don’t need a vertical fin, which raises the question: how do they do it?
David Lentink, Professor of Biomimetics at the University of Groningen, has developed a robotic bird model with real pigeon feathers to show how they do it. In previous work, he found that birds continuously adjust the shape of their wings and tail. In his latest paper, he shows that his pigeon-like robot can replicate these movements.
Fuel-efficient airplanes
An algorithm controls nine servo motors which move the feathers to continuously change the shape of the wings and tail. The algorithm mimics reflexes, which are thought to be used by birds to stabilize themselves. In 1929, German scientist Franz Groebbels proposed that this enables birds to fly like ‘automatic airplanes’. Almost a century later, the robotic bird ‘PigeonBot II’ confirms his idea, as it was successfully tested in a wind tunnel, and then flown autonomously in the open air.
Apart from showing how birds manage to fly without vertical tailfins, Lentink opened the way to designing more fuel-efficient airplanes: ‘The European Airbus group created a concept, visualizing how such a plane should look. Our study provides the knowledge to realize their ideas.’ Furthermore, the new design concept reduces a plane’s radar signature, which can improve jet fighters operations.
Reference: Eric Chang, Diana D. Chin, David Lentink: Bird-inspired reflexive morphing enables rudderless flight. Science Robotics, 20 November 2024.
Journal: Science Robotics
DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.ado4535
Method of Research: Experimental study
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Bird-inspired reflexive morphing enables rudderless flight
Article Publication Date: 20-Nov-2024
COI Statement: None
Media Contact
Rene Fransen
University of Groningen
r.fransen@rug.nl
Office: 50 3636951
Cell: 631921790
Video: Reflexive control of wing- and tail feathers
All latest news from the category: Machine Engineering
Machine engineering is one of Germany’s key industries. The importance of this segment has led to the creation of new university degree programs in fields such as production and logistics, process engineering, vehicle/automotive engineering, production engineering and aerospace engineering among others.
innovations-report offers informative reports and articles covering technologies such as automation, motion, power train, energy, conveyor, plastics, lightweight construction, logistics/warehousing, measurement systems, machine tools and control engineering.
Newest articles
A new puzzle piece for string theory research
Dr. Ksenia Fedosova from the Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster, along with an international research team, has proven a conjecture in string theory that physicists had proposed regarding certain equations….
Climate change can cause stress in herring larvae
The occurrence of multiple stressors undermines the acclimatisation strategies of juvenile herring: If larvae are exposed to several stress factors at the same time, their ability to respond to these…
Making high-yielding rice affordable and sustainable
Plant biologists show how two genes work together to trigger embryo formation in rice. Rice is a staple food crop for more than half the world’s population, but most farmers…