A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds

Matthew Penn; George Yi; Simon Watkins; Mario Martinez Groves-Raines; Shane P Windsor; Abdulghani Mohamed

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w

A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds

Matthew Penn^*
, George Yi
, Simon Watkins
, Mario Martinez Groves-Raines
, Shane P Windsor
, Abdulghani Mohamed

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

216 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Avian flight continues to inspire aircraft designers. Reducing the scale of autonomous aircraft to that of birds and large insects has resulted in new control challenges when attempting to hold steady flight in turbulent atmospheric wind. Some birds, however, are capable of remarkably stable hovering flight in the same conditions. This work describes the development of a wind tunnel configuration that facilitates the study of flapless windhovering (hanging) and soaring bird flight in wind conditions replicating those in nature. Updrafts were generated by flow over replica “hills” and turbulence was introduced through upstream grids, which had already been developed to replicate atmospheric turbulence in prior studies. Successful flight tests with windhovering nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) were conducted, verifying that the facility can support soaring and wind hovering bird flight. The wind tunnel allows the flow characteristics to be carefully controlled and measured, providing great advantages over outdoor flight tests. Also, existing wind tunnels may be readily configured using this method, providing a simpler alternative to the development of dedicated bird flight wind tunnels such as tilting wind tunnels, and the large test section allows for the replication of orographic soaring. This methodology holds promise for future testing investigating the flight behaviour and control responses employed by soaring and windhovering birds.

Original language	English
Article number	7038
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w
Publication status	Published - 29 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding was provided by the USAF grant FA9550-19-1-7017, the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships with scholarship top-up funds provided by the Australian Defence Science Institute.

Funding Information:
This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 ?Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings? and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr?Martin?Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented.

Funding Information:
This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 “Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings” and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr Martin Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

Access to Document

10.1038/s41598-022-10359-wLicence: CC BY

Full-text PDF (final published version)
This is the final published version of the article (version of record). It first appeared online via Nature at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w . Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Final published version, 2.85 MBLicence: CC BY

Handle.net

Persistent link

Kestrel-Inspired Morphing and Actuation: Bird Flight Insights and Technological Applications
Martinez Groves-Raines, M. (Author), Windsor, S. P. (Supervisor), Watkins, S. (Supervisor) & Mohamed, A. (Supervisor), 13 May 2025
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

File

Cite this

@article{013e7470a68449df99347fe1a73fbc10,

title = "A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds",

abstract = "Avian flight continues to inspire aircraft designers. Reducing the scale of autonomous aircraft to that of birds and large insects has resulted in new control challenges when attempting to hold steady flight in turbulent atmospheric wind. Some birds, however, are capable of remarkably stable hovering flight in the same conditions. This work describes the development of a wind tunnel configuration that facilitates the study of flapless windhovering (hanging) and soaring bird flight in wind conditions replicating those in nature. Updrafts were generated by flow over replica “hills” and turbulence was introduced through upstream grids, which had already been developed to replicate atmospheric turbulence in prior studies. Successful flight tests with windhovering nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) were conducted, verifying that the facility can support soaring and wind hovering bird flight. The wind tunnel allows the flow characteristics to be carefully controlled and measured, providing great advantages over outdoor flight tests. Also, existing wind tunnels may be readily configured using this method, providing a simpler alternative to the development of dedicated bird flight wind tunnels such as tilting wind tunnels, and the large test section allows for the replication of orographic soaring. This methodology holds promise for future testing investigating the flight behaviour and control responses employed by soaring and windhovering birds.",

author = "Matthew Penn and George Yi and Simon Watkins and \{Martinez Groves-Raines\}, Mario and Windsor, \{Shane P\} and Abdulghani Mohamed",

note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by the USAF grant FA9550-19-1-7017, the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships with scholarship top-up funds provided by the Australian Defence Science Institute. Funding Information: This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 ?Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings? and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr?Martin?Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented. Funding Information: This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 “Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings” and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr Martin Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds

AU - Penn, Matthew

AU - Yi, George

AU - Watkins, Simon

AU - Martinez Groves-Raines, Mario

AU - Windsor, Shane P

AU - Mohamed, Abdulghani

N1 - Funding Information: Funding was provided by the USAF grant FA9550-19-1-7017, the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships with scholarship top-up funds provided by the Australian Defence Science Institute. Funding Information: This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 ?Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings? and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr?Martin?Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented. Funding Information: This research was undertaken as part of the RMIT Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research Team, within the Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Research Centre, at RMIT University. This work has been supported by US Air Force Office for Scientific Research (AFOSR; grant No. FA9550-19-1-7017, RMIT University), the Defence Science Institute (DSI) and Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG). The work is part of NATO RTO AVT-347 “Large-amplitude gust mitigation strategies for rigid wings” and input of the NATO team is appreciated. The authors are also grateful to the Australian Government for providing a Research Training Program Scholarships. The Authors would like to acknowledge and thank the Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary for their extensive involvement during this project and supplying the kestrels used in this experiment. We would like to thank Mr Martin Scuffins for sharing his expertise and knowledge which has been critical to the success of the research presented. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

PY - 2022/4/29

Y1 - 2022/4/29

N2 - Avian flight continues to inspire aircraft designers. Reducing the scale of autonomous aircraft to that of birds and large insects has resulted in new control challenges when attempting to hold steady flight in turbulent atmospheric wind. Some birds, however, are capable of remarkably stable hovering flight in the same conditions. This work describes the development of a wind tunnel configuration that facilitates the study of flapless windhovering (hanging) and soaring bird flight in wind conditions replicating those in nature. Updrafts were generated by flow over replica “hills” and turbulence was introduced through upstream grids, which had already been developed to replicate atmospheric turbulence in prior studies. Successful flight tests with windhovering nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) were conducted, verifying that the facility can support soaring and wind hovering bird flight. The wind tunnel allows the flow characteristics to be carefully controlled and measured, providing great advantages over outdoor flight tests. Also, existing wind tunnels may be readily configured using this method, providing a simpler alternative to the development of dedicated bird flight wind tunnels such as tilting wind tunnels, and the large test section allows for the replication of orographic soaring. This methodology holds promise for future testing investigating the flight behaviour and control responses employed by soaring and windhovering birds.

AB - Avian flight continues to inspire aircraft designers. Reducing the scale of autonomous aircraft to that of birds and large insects has resulted in new control challenges when attempting to hold steady flight in turbulent atmospheric wind. Some birds, however, are capable of remarkably stable hovering flight in the same conditions. This work describes the development of a wind tunnel configuration that facilitates the study of flapless windhovering (hanging) and soaring bird flight in wind conditions replicating those in nature. Updrafts were generated by flow over replica “hills” and turbulence was introduced through upstream grids, which had already been developed to replicate atmospheric turbulence in prior studies. Successful flight tests with windhovering nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) were conducted, verifying that the facility can support soaring and wind hovering bird flight. The wind tunnel allows the flow characteristics to be carefully controlled and measured, providing great advantages over outdoor flight tests. Also, existing wind tunnels may be readily configured using this method, providing a simpler alternative to the development of dedicated bird flight wind tunnels such as tilting wind tunnels, and the large test section allows for the replication of orographic soaring. This methodology holds promise for future testing investigating the flight behaviour and control responses employed by soaring and windhovering birds.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w

DO - 10.1038/s41598-022-10359-w

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 35487925

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 12

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

M1 - 7038

ER -

A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Handle.net

Fingerprint

Student theses

Kestrel-Inspired Morphing and Actuation: Bird Flight Insights and Technological Applications

Cite this