Researchers at Wright State University have been closely analyzing the flight patterns and aerodynamics of dragonflies in attempts to recreate the effect in a computer simulation. After several years of painstaking research, they’ve finally developed a working simulation that they visualized using TecPlot.
“The visual results showed the exact motion of a dragonfly taking off, including its body motion and wing deformations,” says Dr. Dong. “Now, by varying our validated mathematical model, we can begin to understand with great confidence how a dragonfly manages its wings to create the forces needed to lift its body up under a variety of conditions. Next, we need to repeat the process for other stages of flight like hovering, maneuvering, and landing.”
See videos of their simulation results after the break.
via Contours – The Tecplot Newsletter: Article.
