The small size and proposed maneuverability of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) provide immense potential to improve surveillance in the contexts of security and exploration of novel and/or remote landscapes. The success of MAVs will depend on the ability to vary aerodynamic output in response to perturbations, such as gusts of wind or turbulence associated with flight in heterogeneous environments.
This research investigates the kinematic and aerodynamic mechanisms of gust rejection employed by insects, in particular the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the stalk-eyed fly.