Gull dynamic pitch stability is controlled by wing morphing

Abstract

Birds perform astounding aerial maneuvers by actuating their shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints to morph their wing shape. This maneuverability is desirable for similar-sized uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and can be analyzed through the lens of dynamic flight stability. Quantifying avian dynamic stability is challenging as it is dictated by aerodynamics and inertia, which must both account for birds’ complex and variable morphology. To date, avian dynamic stability across flight conditions remains largely unknown. Here, we fill this gap by quantifying how a gull can use wing morphing to adjust its longitudinal dynamic response. We found that it was necessary to adjust the shoulder angle to achieve trimmed flight and that most trimmed configurations were longitudinally stable except for configurations with high wrist angles. Our results showed that as flight speed increases, the gull could fold or sweep its wings backward to trim. Further, a trimmed gull can use its wing joints to control the frequencies and damping ratios of the longitudinal oscillatory modes. We found a more damped phugoid mode than similar-sized UAVs, possibly reducing speed sensitivity to perturbations, such as gusts. Although most configurations had controllable short-period flying qualities, the heavily damped phugoid mode indicates a sluggish response to control inputs, which may be overcome while maneuvering by morphing into an unstable flight configuration. Our study shows that gulls use their shoulder, wrist, and elbow joints to negotiate trade-offs in stability and control and points the way forward for designing UAVs with avian-like maneuverability.