Meeting Abstract
Flying insects modulate wing kinematics to perform rapid aerial maneuvers. Subtle changes in timing and amplitude of wing motion enable rapid and precise translational and rotational maneuvers. Here, we studied the 3D wing kinematics that mediate the yaw optomotor response in Drosophila. Flies were mounted in a magnetic tether enabling free yaw rotation within a virtual reality LED arena. Three high-speed cameras were used to record and extract 3D body and wing kinematics. Flies tracked a visual background rotating at 90 degrees per second by turning and generating occasional optomotor saccades. The angular speed of flies closely matched the background speed, operating at a gain near unity. Analysis of the body heading angle revealed small, 0.5-deg oscillations in yaw at wingbeat frequency (200-220 Hz). These oscillations were due to the aerodynamics of flapping, modulating the overall turning response. Wing kinematics were broadly consistent with those measured in free flight, but with some notable differences, including the use of a clap and fling stroke. During yaw turning, flies generated small changes in the left and right wing stroke and deviation angles that were strongly associated with changes in body velocity within each wingbeat (p<0.001). Flies also modulated the timing (phase) of the left and right wing rotation and deviation angles during the forward and backstroke reversal. Interestingly, flies exhibited different stroke planes for each wing. Measured wing kinematics will be used to validate a quasi-steady aerodynamic model of a magnetically tethered fly to investigate compensatory responses to internal perturbations. Our work could provide inspiration for the control and design of agile flapping micro-air vehicles.
