Flapping Wings and the Science of How Bees Can Fly
MrPlow writes in with a submission, via IRC, for TheMightyBuzzard.
Flapping Wings And The Science Of How Bees Can Fly:
Regular planes have fixed wings that are, for all intents and purposes, relatively rigid. There is some structural flexibility, but from an aerodynamic standpoint, it doesn't have a significant effect. These wings generate lift when moving through the air at speed, thanks to their airfoil shape. Increase the angle of the wing relative to the airflow, for example, by pitching up the aircraft, and the wing will generate more lift. This angle is called the angle of attack. Increase it too far, and the flow will separate from the wing, and it will stop producing lift entirely. This is called a stall. Without lift, planes fall out of the sky.
Bees, like birds, and many insects, don't have fixed wings - instead, they flap their wings to generate both propulsion and lift. The wings are flapped in an incredibly complex motion, with the wing rotating throughout the downstroke and upstroke in order to maximise efficiency. The key to creating high lift with a flapping wing is down to a variety of complex fluid mechanisms.
Journal Reference:
Diana D. Chin, David Lentink. Flapping wing aerodynamics: from insects to vertebrates [$], Journal of Experimental Biology (DOI: 10.1242/jeb.042317)
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