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The Effect Of Aerodynamic Braking On The Inertial Power Requirement Of Flapping Flight: Case Study Of A Gull, Stewart C. Burgess, R. J. Lock, J. Wang, Gene D. Sattler, Doug Oliver

Gene D. Sattler

There has been an unresolved question of whether there is any significant degree of aerodynamic braking during wing deceleration in the flapping flight of birds, with direct analogies existing with flapping micro air vehicles. Some authors have assumed a complete conversion of kinetic energy into (useful) aerodynamic work during wing deceleration. Other authors have assumed no aerodynamic braking. The different assumptions have led to predictions of inertial power requirements in birds differing by a factor of 2. Our work is the first to model the aerodynamic braking forces on the wing during wing deceleration. A model has been developed that …