Department of Zoology,
Home | Aerodynamics | Projects | People | Publications | Facilities | Current Opportunities | Funding | Contact Information
Current projects include:
Aerodynamics of forward flight in insects
Lift and thrust production during forward flight in insects is still largely not understood. This is a large, ongoing, project that uses observations from both real insects and mechanical models to gain a detailed understanding of how insects fly. We have constructed a mechanical apparatus, which we call the ?flapper?, that can be employed with wing shapes and motions from insects varying in size, morphology, and kinematic complexity. The flapper is driven by a computer that controls the wing movements and its advancement in a large tank of water or oil (our towing-tank facility). As the flapper travels the length of the tank, we use dye visualization and stereo digital particle image velocimetry to study the fluid flowing across the wing surfaces. From the flow patterns, and measurements of the forces on the wings, we can construct accurate models that describe how insects, and other flapping winged animals, can fly. More...
Aerodynamics of micro-air vehicles.
This project is aimed at understanding how lift is produced by small propellers and flapping wings at low Reynolds numbers (Re=100-20,000). We visualize fluid motion around rotating and flapping model wings and correlate these observations with measured steady-state and instantaneous forces (lift and drag). More...
Aerodynamics of bat flight.
The majority of studies on bat flight concentrate upon wing morphology and wingbeat kinematics. There has been little quantitative work upon the aerodynamics of bat flight. Investigation into this area, tied in with current work on Pterosaur flight, would give a more complete understanding of the performance of membranous wings over the range of Reynolds numbers relevant to vertebrate flight. More...
Hovering and Forward Flight in Eristalis
Syrphids (hoverflies) are extremely agile and adept fliers, capable of motionless hovering, accelerations of at least 3g from stationary hovering, and flight speeds approaching 10m/s over short bursts. The drone flies Eristalis tenax & E. pertinax are ideal study animals due to their abundance in the natural environment and propensity to fly even under hot, strongly lit laboratory filming conditions. More...
Aerodynamics of Locust Flight
The goal of my research is to investigate and quantify the leading edge vortices present in insects with two functional sets of wings and any aerodynamic interaction between the fore and hind wings. The insect of interest in this study is the locust. More...
Pterosaur flight
The purpose of this project is the reconstruction of the flight of the extinct pterosaurs: a group of reptiles, contemporaneous with the dinosaurs, that dominated the skies during the Mesozoic era. More...
Last updated July 2004
Questions and Comments to: Animal Flight Webmaster.