MAE Seminar- The Imprint of Turbulence on Natural and Artificial Flight

Dr. Kasey Laurent is a PhD candidate in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics at Cornell University. She is a research assistant advised by Dr. Gregory P. Bewley in the Bewley Applied Turbulence Lab (BATL) where she studies the effects of atmospheric turbulence on flight. She has presented her work on the flight performance of eagles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the annual American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics Conference. Prior to Cornell, she worked with Dr. Filippo Colletti at St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) at the University of Minnesota characterizing the flight of fruit flies in turbulence. She has collaborated with various companies, such as Cellular Tracking Technologies and Conservation Science Global, to develop and conduct her research.

Abstract:  The atmospheric boundary layer is nominally turbulent, yet the role of turbulence on both natural and artificial fliers is unclear. In this talk, we will discuss the relationship between the soaring accelerations of a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and well-known characteristics of turbulent flows. By combining wind data with measured accelerations of the eagle, we find that the soaring accelerations are highly intermittent. The accelerations exhibit power spectra that can be explained through a linear interaction between the eagle and the turbulence. These results indicate a need to fully incorporate an understanding of turbulence into our understanding of eagle movements, with implications for other natural and artificial fliers. This investigation will provide the foundation needed to improve stability and increase energy efficiency of small flight vehicles. We will conclude the talk discussing future work regarding the displacements and endurance of small, light quadrotors in turbulence. By determining the relationship between the quadrotor controller, its power consumption, and the turbulent flow, we can improve the performance of these flight vehicles.

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