Two pursuit strategies for a single sensorimotor control task in blowfly

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior and Physiology
• Neuroethology
• Biomechanics of Flight

Background:

• Visuomotor coordination is critical for survival across diverse animal species.
• Understanding aerial pursuit mechanisms in insects provides insights into biological control systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the kinematic strategies employed by the blowfly (Lucilia sericata) during aerial target pursuit.
• To elucidate the control mechanisms underlying horizontal and vertical plane maneuvers in flying insects.

Main Methods:

• Filming freely flying male blowflies pursuing an actuated dummy target.
• Analyzing flight trajectories and kinematic data.
• Developing and testing control laws in kinematic models.

Main Results:

• Blowflies differentiate between horizontal plane target tracking and vertical plane target interception.
• Flight trajectory adjustments are based on target heading angle and bearing angle rate of change.
• Proportional navigation strategies contribute minimally; control relies on proportional controllers for error angles.

Conclusions:

• Male blowflies utilize distinct control strategies for horizontal (azimuth) and vertical (elevation) steering.
• The observed 10 ms steering response in the horizontal plane is the fastest recorded in any flying animal.
• This study reveals sophisticated, rapid visuomotor control in blowfly aerial pursuit.