On The Wings of War
Hummingbirds zooming around the garden from flower to flower and sipping nectar probably don’t appear at first glance to be models for instruments of war.
But the tiny thrumming birds are unparalleled aerial acrobats, power in miniature, instantly zipping forward and backward, diving quickly down and soaring back up, pitching, rolling and yawing, and even flying upside down.
Their sophisticated flying abilities have captured the attention of robot designers, especially those studying the use of drones in modern warfare.
“Hummingbirds are the best flyers out there,” said Bret Tobalske, professor of biology and director of the Flight Lab at the 老虎机攻略. “They are extreme in their physiology and flight performance. They are incredibly maneuverable. They are capable of hovering indefinitely” — an adaptation driven by a love of energy-rich nectar.