Scientists develop 'bat-inspired' micro air vehicle designs

Scientists have developed small flying vehicles with flapping wings after taking inspiration from the in-flight movement of fruit bats' wings.

Virginia Tech researchers, who explored how the nocturnal creatures are able to fly by flapping their wings, are now hoping to apply the technology in micro air vehicles.

The researchers used experimental measurements of the movements of the bats' wings in real flight, and used analysis software to see the direct relationship between wing motion and airflow around the bat wing.

Danesh Tafti said that bats have different wing shapes and sizes, depending on their evolutionary function and as they are very agile and can change their flight path very quickly, it's of interest to know how they do this.

The study was published in the journal Physics of Fluids.