Contact Info:

Research:
The vast majority of flapping-wing Micro Aerial Vehicles initiate flight by way of a simple hand launch (e.g., Delfly Micro, Microbat), or by mimicking a Vertical Take-Off mechanism (e.g., Nano SCOUT, MFI). While these are effective means for becoming airborne, we seek to understand, and perhaps replicate, the mechanics of flight initiation employed by flying insects; after all, these organisms must transition between walking and flying in a plethora of surroundings, under very different initial conditions.

In collaboration with Gwyneth Card, we investigate the mechanics of flight initiation in Drosophila melanogaster. The study comprises 1) an analysis of the propulsion forces produced by the fly's jump during takeoff, and 2) a characterization of the flight forces in response to the unsteady dynamics induced by the jump.

Education:
B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Control Systems and Robotics), California State University, Fullerton. Jan 2007.

Website:
http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~fzabala

Links:

• Research/Grand_Unified_Fly