In flight qualities of a humming-bird surpassed helicopters

In the flight qualities of a humming-bird surpass helicopters, scientists found out. They compared birds to the tiny – is powerful in only 16 grams – bespilotniky Black Hornet Nano which is used by army of Great Britain for investigation. Results of tests are presented in the last issue of Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

Researchers from Stenfordsky and Vageningensky universities tested flight characteristics in a soaring mode in air at 26 birds representing 12 different types, in the special car measuring a torque and vertical draft of wings. In participation in experiments did not involve live birds – only an effigy from museum collections.

The humming-bird is the unique family of birds, which rely only on own force to hang in air. Aerodynamic qualities of a humming-bird depend first of all on a ratio of length of a wing to its width, scientists found out. The this factor (3,5-4), the less energy a bird is higher spends for flight in a lag mode.

In spite of the fact that aerodynamic qualities of wings of a humming-bird on the average for 27 percent it is better, than at Black Hornet Nano, aerodynamic efficiency of wings of these birds is very similar to modern rotors of microhelicopters, scientists found out.