Experimental Analysis of Forces During Take-Off of Birds

Abstract

The increasing interest on Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV’s) and their several utilities blended with the need of easy carrying and also the stealth, lead to the need to create the concept of Micro Air Vehicles (MAV’s) and the Nano Air Vehicles (NAV’s). Due to the current interest and the present lack of knowledge on the insect’s and bird’s flight, this study was intended to interpret the forces involved on the moment of the take-off of a bird, recurring to an experiment involving a fast data acquisition force sensor and high speed camera. It was found that the birds can produce special movements just before taking-off that will enhance the performance of the maneuver. In the present case, the bird stretches the neck forward and moves the head down, then stretches even more the neck and finally moves the head up while impelling himself into the air, resulting in an enhanced mechanical force against perch. The results have shown that Columba livia can generate about 4 times its weight of take-off force against perch.