Study reveals how flying animals evolved

Record ID: 1371272

  • Title: Study reveals how flying animals evolved
  • Date: 14th January 2019
  • Summary: LUND, SWEDEN (NOVEMBER 12, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHRISTOFFER JOHANSSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN BIOLOGY AT LUND UNIVERSITY, SHOWING HOW WIND TUNNEL OPERATES INSIDE OF WIND TUNNEL WHERE EXPERIMENTS OCCURRED (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTOFFER JOHANSSON, BIOLOGIST AT LUND UNIVERSITY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, SAYING: "We are using a technique called particle image velosymmetry where we fill up the wind tunnel with tiny, tiny particles that we light up with a laser. We film the particles with multiple high speed cameras and then that allows us to determine the velocity induced by the animals to the air. In this study we have used that information to calculate the cost of flying for animals and we have then compared that when the animals are flying up in the free air compared to when they're flying close to the ground." VARIOUS OF WIND TUNNEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTOFFER JOHANSSON, BIOLOGIST AT LUND UNIVERSITY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, SAYING: "Here we have the bat flying in the tunnel. We can see how the wing tips are moving really close to the ground during the down stroke which we think is something that reduces the cost of generating lift by the bats."
  • Embargoed: 28th January 2019 15:10
  • Keywords: Lund University University of Southern Denmark evolution flight
  • Location: LUND, SWEDEN / FILE LOCATIONS
  • City: LUND, SWEDEN / FILE LOCATIONS
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Life Sciences,Science
  • Reuters ID: LVA0029X47F4R
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Scandinavian researchers have measured the so-called 'ground effect' of flying animals - the first time they believe this has been done.
    Their findings could alter our thinking about how birds and insects first learnt to fly. It could also influence future drone designs.
    Scientists from Sweden's Lund University and the University of Southern Denmark analysed recordings they made of Daubenton's bats flying in a wind tunnel, swooping to pick up a grub.
    Lund University's Associate Professor of biology Christoffer Johansson told Reuters: "We are using a technique called particle image velosymmetry where we fill up the wind tunnel with tiny particles that we light up with a laser. We film the particles with multiple high speed cameras which allows us to determine the velocity induced by the animals in the air. We have used that information to calculate the cost of flying for animals and compared when the animals are flying in the free air to when they're close to the ground."
    The team's findings suggested that bats save twice as much energy by flying close to the ground as models predicted.
    "The wing tips move really close to the ground during their down stroke which we think reduces the cost of generating lift," explained Johansson.
    He added: "Our main finding is that we see a reduction in the power requirements when flying close to the ground of 29 percent. Theoretical predictions are difficult to make but the highest we've seen is around 14 percent. So we saw twice the power savings that we expected."
    The ground effect means that a surface acts as an aerodynamic mirror which increases the air pressure under the wings. It is achieved within a single wingspan of the surface.
    The study supports one of the competing theories on how birds began to fly - the so-called 'ground-up theory'. This postulates that flying began on the ground and that by running and jumping with proto-wings various animals were able to run faster and jump higher, eventually evolving into flight.
    The research also showed that animals with flapping wings use less energy than steady wings moving near the ground. This could have implications for future generations of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - or drones.
    "If we're thinking of quadcopters then wings probably won't have much application but if we consider flapping drones it would make sense to have them fly close to the ground," said Johansson. "If they're travelling long distances it could allow drones to save energy and allow them to travel further."
    Various researchers, including a group at Switzerland's EPFL research institute, are working on developing flapping drones.
    Among the best-known such commercial drones is the Avitron Bluetooth Bionic Bird.
    Earlier this year German technology firm Festo showed off its bio-inspired robotic fruit bat that's able to mimic much of the real animal's airborne ability.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register