How Do Flies Take Off Backwards?
WouterScientists from the CNRS at the University of Aix-Marseille have studied how flies take off. They have discovered that flies turn their bodies before they turn their heads, which helps them right themselves quickly when they take off. Their findings will be published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
When flies are threatened, they execute neat flying tricks to get away from a predator or to escape an attack. To do this, they freeze, raise their legs, and roll up to 90 degrees. When the threat is at a different location, they can change direction in a fraction of a second.
The research team used a high-speed video camera to study the behavior of flies. They observed that flies’ legs flexed and retracted in response to a threat, including a swatter. The researchers found that the flies’ nervous system is responsible for triggering the take-off manoeuvre.
Scientists have also discovered that flies are able to mimic biological systems. In fact, they can mimic mass production, biomimetic robots, and drones. They are also able to measure pitch and yaw and correct their flight. In addition, they can land safely in case of a failure in one of their engines.
The new findings could help develop new technologies and assist engineers in building autonomous robots. The compound eyes of flies contain over 4,000 lenses, and while their eyesight is poor compared to humans, they are extremely efficient at detecting fast-moving objects.
