Dragonfly Flight : II. Velocities, Accelerations and Kinematics of Flapping Flight

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200.3.557
• Publication Date: 2021-04-23T23:29:02Z
• Authors: J. M. Wakeling; C. P. Ellington
• Keywords: Flapping

The free flapping flight of the dragonfly Sympetrum sanguineum and damselfly Calopteryx splendens was filmed in a large enclosure at 3000 frames s-1. wingtip kinematics are described for these flights. Despite two species being similar size, flew with wingbeat frequencies half those dragonfly. could perform clap fling, proximity to which wings approached each other during this manoeuvre correlated total force produced wingstroke. beat its set inclination stroke planes respect londitudinal body axis; damselfly, contrast, showed greater variation angle. Both aligned their be nearly normal direction resultant force, thrust. In order achieve this, alignment However, independent thrust direction. Velocities accelerations were than damselfly. non-dimensional velocities normalised by periods