UC Davis' Revolutionary Bird-Flight Lab to Transform Drone Design
The University of California, Davis, is taking a bold leap into the future with the establishment of a new center dedicated to researching bird flight and its potential to revolutionize aircraft design. This pioneering initiative, funded by a nearly $3 million grant from the Department of Defense, is the brainchild of Christina Harvey, an assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Michelle Hawkins, a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and director of the California Raptor Center.
The center, the first of its kind in the United States, aims to harness cutting-edge motion capture and photogrammetry technologies to study birds in flight. By creating 3D models of various wing shapes, the researchers hope to inform the design of the next generation of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). This initiative promises to provide invaluable insights into the development of more advanced and versatile drones capable of tasks ranging from package delivery to wildfire detection and suppression.
Harvey and Hawkins believe that understanding how different bird species maneuver through complex environments can significantly enhance the capabilities of drones and other UAS. Harvey, who joined UC Davis in 2022 with expertise in both zoology and engineering, credits the California Raptor Center and its work as a key motivator for her move to the university.
The research facility, which is currently in the planning stages, is slated to break ground at the raptor center this fall. It will feature a covered barn-like structure equipped with state-of-the-art infrared and high-speed cameras. This indoor hall will allow birds to fly and maneuver freely, facilitating detailed study of their flight patterns.
This groundbreaking research center distinguishes itself by combining motion capture and photogrammetry to study bird flight in complex environments. Motion capture technology, which tracks reflective markers on moving subjects, will be used alongside photogrammetry – a process that combines multiple 2D images to create 3D models – to create detailed representations of the birds in flight.
The practical applications of this research are vast and exciting. Harvey envisions using insights from bird flight to design aircraft that can switch between functions, such as surveillance and navigating dense environments like forests. This technology has the potential to significantly advance fields like firefighting and package delivery.
Beyond its aerospace applications, this initiative also offers significant benefits for the birds involved. Harvey will have direct access to birds undergoing rehabilitation, while Hawkins plans to use the imagery and models to enhance rehabilitation efforts and veterinary education.
This unique partnership between veterinary medicine and aerospace engineering is set to lay a solid foundation for groundbreaking research. With several initiatives already in the pipeline, the team at UC Davis is gearing up for a journey that could redefine the future of drone technology and animal rehabilitation.