In this review paper, different landing strategies of diverse species of animal flyers and gliders, both extinct and extant, are analysed. These methods vary depending on the animal group and the sensory system used by the animal to detect its landing site. In almost all species the use of delayed stall during the landing manoeuvre was observed. Sometimes wing flapping was used to aid in deceleration. With respect to guidance and navigation, most insect, bird and mammal gliders use their vision to guide them to landing via optical flow or motion parallax. Bats, which are nocturnal creatures, rely on their auditory system as they use echolocation to find their nesting site. Some butterfly and moth species guide themselves to landing using their olfactory sense as they follow pheromone trails. The information presented here can be used as a source of information for novel bio-inspired unmanned aircraft design.
In this review paper, several take-off techniques of different species of animal flyers and gliders, both extinct and extant, are analysed. The methods they use vary according to animal group and size. Smaller animals, such as insects, rely on the use of transient aerodynamic techniques or the use of stored elastic energy. Medium-size flyers such as birds, bats, and other mammal gliders initiate flight by a jump which involves leg and wing movement coordination. The largest animals to fly, the extinct pterosaurs, are believed to have used a combination of aerodynamic and mechanic techniques in order to become airborne. The information presented here can be used as a resource for novel biomimetic unmanned aircraft design.
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