Video: How pigeons turn in flight
The humble pigeon could provide the unlikely inspiration for a flock of small military drones
that can navigate enclosed spaces. It turns out the common birds can redirect their flight path with the agility of a helicopter. Ivo Ros of Harvard University and colleagues let three pigeons loose in a corridor that incorporated a sharp 90-degree turn. They placed 16 markers on each pigeon's body and set up nine synchronised high-speed cameras along the corridor to track the birds' position as they flew around the bend.
that can navigate enclosed spaces. It turns out the common birds can redirect their flight path with the agility of a helicopter. Ivo Ros of Harvard University and colleagues let three pigeons loose in a corridor that incorporated a sharp 90-degree turn. They placed 16 markers on each pigeon's body and set up nine synchronised high-speed cameras along the corridor to track the birds' position as they flew around the bend.