The functional wing morphology of the wings of the scorpion fly Panorpa germanica L. was investigated using a combination of light microscopy, high-speed cinematography, wing manipulation and mechanical testing. In rising forward flight the wings are flapped 40° out of phase along a shallow stroke plane, the forewings leading. Aerodynamic analysis suggests that unsteady effects are important in...

After heavy rainfalls in late Apr. of 2010 in Tehran, an epizootic occurred amongst hoverflies (Eupeodes corollae Fabricius) population in green spaces of Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, caused by an entomopathogenic fungus. Infected flies fixed to the upper parts of whitetop (Lepidium draba L.) and small tumbleweed mustard (Sisymbrium loeslii L.) plants with their proboscis and...

The flexibility of insect wings confers aerodynamic benefits, but can also present a hazard if exposed to fog or dew. Fog can cause water to accumulate on wings, bending them into tight taco shapes and rendering them useless for flight. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we use high-speed video to film the spontaneous folding of isolated mosquito wings due to the evaporation o...

We tested the hypothesis that relatively symmetrical flies live longer. Vein measurements on the left and right wings from the same individual were used to characterize bilateral symmetry in relationship to age-specific survival in defined cohorts. A longitudinal cohort study supported the hypothesis of a correlation between bilateral symmetry and longevity. For another type of experiment, wing...

We examine the fluid-mechanical interactions that occur between arrays of flapping wings when operating in close proximity at a moderate Reynolds number (Re≈100-1000). Pairs of flapping wings are oscillated sinusoidally at frequency f, amplitude θ_{M}, phase offset ϕ, and wing separation distance D^{*}, and outflow speed v^{*} is measured. At a fixed separation distance, v^{*} is sensitive to b...

It is predicted that the Hα emission line at the early nebular epoch of type II-P supernovae may display robust observational effects of radiation damping wings. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that the Hα line with the optical depth typical of the early nebular epoch acquires extended wings and redshift and becomes broader compared to the Sobolev approximation case. The strength of these e...

1. Summary Nonplanar wings offer the possibility of reduced drag compared with planar wings of the same span and lift. However, aircraft are not compared on the basis of drag with fixed span and lift, making the integration and assessment of nonplanar wing concepts complex. This paper deals with some of these issues. A brief review of several concepts from winglets to ring wings is followed by ...

Control of ornithopters is challenging due to the unsteady flow generated by the flapping wings. The research presented in this paper is aimed at developing a sensor-based control methodology. Specifically, a distributed pressure sensing system embedded in the flapping wing surfaces is utilized to provide real-time aerodynamic force estimates to facilitate the development of feedback for an orn...

Detailed morphological investigation, mechanical testing and high-speed cinematography and stroboscopic examination of desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria, in flight show that their hind wings are adapted to deform cyclically and automatically through the wing stroke and that the deformations are subtly dependent on the wings' structure: their shape, venation and vein design and the local pro...

(21) App1_ NO_; 14/068,235 A micro aerial vehicle capable of controlled transitory or _ sustained gliding ?ight. The vehicle includes a fuselage. A (22) Flled: 0d“ 31’ 2013 pair of articulated Wings are forward of a center of gravity of Related US Application Data the vehicle, the Wings being articulated and having trailing _ _ _ _ edge ?aps, and having actuators for controlling the dihedral (6...