Flight Control of an Insect

A butterfly's fore- and hindwings act as one low aspect ratio wing. The variation in the feathering angle is not as large as that of other insects such as a dragonfly and a damselfly. A butterfly varies the lead-lag angle of the forewing and the angle between the thorax and the abdomen at take-off. This implies the possibility that the insect moves all parts of its body to fly. This is an advantage that an insect has over a conventional aircraft. Moreover, a new method to investigate an insect's flight control ability is introduced. An attached plate disturbs the insect, and a remarkable flight pattern can be observed. The flight control ability of the insect can be elucidated by analyzing the insect's flight pattern.