Agile manoeuvrable flight via collaborative wing-tail adjustment of a flapping wing robot

In nature, raptors exhibit remarkable hunting abilities through their adept use of rapid aerial maneuvers. The key to achieving such exceptional maneuverability lies in the dynamic adjustment of the distance between the center of gravity (COG) and aerodynamic center (AC) over a wide range. Here, we report a biomimetic flapping-wing robot with agile flight capabilities. By coordinating adjustments in wing-tail distance and tail attitude, we can effectively manipulate the relative positioning of the robot's COG and AC, as well as modulate wing and tail moments relative to COG, thereby influencing climbing and descending characteristics. This enhanced agility allows us to define and achieve 13 Dynamic Flying Primitives (DFPs). Furthermore, by combining different DFPs, nine highly challenging longitudinal agile maneuvers were achieved. Finally, outdoor flight tests have validated that our biologically inspired flapping-wing robot equipped with a self-adjustment strategy for wing-tail coordination can achieve agile maneuverability.