Powered-gliding/climbing flight performed by bats for saving fuel.

IF 1.7 4区 生物学 Q3 BIOLOGY
Biology Open Pub Date : 2025-08-15 Epub Date: 2025-09-01 DOI:10.1242/bio.061779
Gottfried Sachs
{"title":"Powered-gliding/climbing flight performed by bats for saving fuel.","authors":"Gottfried Sachs","doi":"10.1242/bio.061779","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Results of recent research show that bats perform flights with continual altitude changes rather than flying at a constant altitude. However, the current state of knowledge suggests that the reason for these altitude changes is not known, and it is stated in the literature that further study is necessary in order to understand this behaviour. The goal of this paper is to provide an explanation by showing that flights with continual altitude changes constitute a fuel-saving flight mode in bats. The descents in the altitude changes - which were analysed using flight measurement data - show a power support by flapping the wings to yield a powered glide. Accordingly, this flight mode may be termed powered-gliding/climbing flight. Corresponding to the described flight characteristics, powered-gliding/climbing flight can be seen as an extension of flap-gliding flight, which is a flight mode known in the research on animal flight. This paper shows that the powered glide enables a decrease in aerodynamic drag, as well as an explanation of the underlying physical mechanism. I also developed a flight mechanics model of powered/gliding climbing flight in bats. Results based on this model show that fuel consumption can be reduced. Thus, a substantial fuel saving can be achieved when compared with the best flight at constant altitude, which is classically considered as the flight mode requiring the lowest fuel consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":9216,"journal":{"name":"Biology Open","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12444862/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biology Open","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.061779","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/9/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Results of recent research show that bats perform flights with continual altitude changes rather than flying at a constant altitude. However, the current state of knowledge suggests that the reason for these altitude changes is not known, and it is stated in the literature that further study is necessary in order to understand this behaviour. The goal of this paper is to provide an explanation by showing that flights with continual altitude changes constitute a fuel-saving flight mode in bats. The descents in the altitude changes - which were analysed using flight measurement data - show a power support by flapping the wings to yield a powered glide. Accordingly, this flight mode may be termed powered-gliding/climbing flight. Corresponding to the described flight characteristics, powered-gliding/climbing flight can be seen as an extension of flap-gliding flight, which is a flight mode known in the research on animal flight. This paper shows that the powered glide enables a decrease in aerodynamic drag, as well as an explanation of the underlying physical mechanism. I also developed a flight mechanics model of powered/gliding climbing flight in bats. Results based on this model show that fuel consumption can be reduced. Thus, a substantial fuel saving can be achieved when compared with the best flight at constant altitude, which is classically considered as the flight mode requiring the lowest fuel consumption.

Abstract Image

Abstract Image

Abstract Image

动力滑翔/爬升飞行由蝙蝠执行,以节省燃料。
最近的研究结果表明,蝙蝠的飞行高度不是固定的,而是不断变化的。然而,目前的知识状况表明,这些海拔变化的原因尚不清楚,并且在文献中指出,为了理解这种行为,需要进一步的研究。本文的目的是提供一个解释,表明飞行与持续的高度变化构成了蝙蝠的节油飞行模式。利用飞行测量数据分析的高度变化的下降表明,通过拍打翅膀来产生动力滑翔的动力支持。因此,这种飞行模式可以称为动力滑翔/爬升飞行。与上述飞行特性相对应,动力滑翔/爬升飞行可以看作是扑翼滑翔飞行的延伸,扑翼滑翔是动物飞行研究中已知的一种飞行模式。本文表明,动力滑翔使气动阻力的减少,以及对潜在的物理机制的解释。我还开发了蝙蝠动力/滑翔爬升飞行的飞行力学模型。基于该模型的结果表明,该模型可以降低燃油消耗。因此,与通常被认为是油耗最低的飞行模式的最佳恒定高度飞行相比,可以节省大量的燃油。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
Biology Open
Biology Open BIOLOGY-
CiteScore
3.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
162
审稿时长
8 weeks
期刊介绍: Biology Open (BiO) is an online Open Access journal that publishes peer-reviewed original research across all aspects of the biological sciences. BiO aims to provide rapid publication for scientifically sound observations and valid conclusions, without a requirement for perceived impact.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:604180095
Book学术官方微信