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Direct lateral maneuvers in hawkmoths.

Jeremy S M Greeter¹, Tyson L Hedrick²

¹Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

|January 8, 2016

Summary

Hawkmoths (Manduca sexta) perform sideslips by rolling their bodies and wings. This maneuver involves asymmetric wing flapping to generate aerodynamic forces, enabling controlled lateral movement and supporting body weight.

Keywords:

Banked turning Dodge Flapping counter-torque Flight control Free flight Lateral maneuvers Manduca sexta Maneuver Roll Side-slip Sideslip

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Area of Science:

* Insect flight biomechanics
* Aerodynamics of maneuvering flight
* Animal locomotion

Background:

* Direct lateral maneuvers, or sideslips, are crucial for aerial navigation in many flying animals.
* The specific kinematic and aerodynamic mechanisms underlying hawkmoth sideslips were not well understood.
* Understanding these maneuvers provides insights into the evolution of flight control.

Purpose of the Study:

* To investigate the videography of direct lateral maneuvers (sideslips) in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.
* To elucidate the wing kinematics and aerodynamic principles governing hawkmoth sideslips.
* To determine the relationship between wing motion and the resulting roll and sideslip dynamics.

Main Methods:

* High-speed videography to capture hawkmoth flight maneuvers.
* Analysis of wing kinematics, including stroke amplitude, elevation, and pitch.
* Computational modeling using blade-element methods to simulate aerodynamic forces and moments.

Main Results:

* Hawkmoths sideslip by rolling their entire body and wings.
* Sideslips involve increased flapping amplitude and asymmetric wing strokes (pitch, sweep, elevation) to generate net aerodynamic force.
* The roll maneuver occurs in a stairstep manner, with greater orientation change during the downstroke, and is influenced by aerodynamic damping and stabilizing moments.

Conclusions:

* Manduca sexta utilizes a roll-based mechanism for sideslipping.
* Asymmetric wing kinematics directly generate the forces and moments required for sideslip and roll control.
* The study confirms a high degree of roll damping in hawkmoth sideslips, crucial for stable maneuvering.