Abstract
Birds in V formations are frequently observed and two main hypothesis have emerged in the biology/ornithology literature to explain this particular geometry: (i) it offers aerodynamic advantages and (ii) it is used to improve visual communication. Both explanations require a bird to track its predecessor. Observations of flocks suggest that this task is difficult for birds in large formations. In this paper, we explain this phenomenon using a simple bird model and systems theory. This result has implications for the coordinated control of unmanned aerial vehicles. In particular, predecessor-following is an inherently poor strategy for formation flight.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 118-123 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Decision and Control |
| Volume | 1 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2002 |