Australian researchers use birds to fight sickening in-flight turbulence

SYDNEY — Australian researchers have used birds to help prevent dreaded in-flight turbulence.

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's Unmanned Systems Research Team studied the natural movement of feathers and the way a bird uses them to create a system that detects disturbances in the air.

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"Birds can sense air flow separation, angle of attack and velocity through their feathers," the team wrote. "The sensed signal is used for feedforward or feedback control during aggressive maneuvers."

Relying on information garnered from the wind on their feathers, some types of birds, such as kestrals, can make small alterations to hover with extreme accuracy and stability. Read more...

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