Science and Engineering by Observing Nature—Biomimetics

     Do some birds look like airplanes? Well, actually it’s the other way around: airplanes look like some birds. These similarities did not happen by accident. The early pioneers of aviation made extensive studies into the ways birds fly. This study of nature to advance human engineering and invention is called biomimetics or biomimicry and it has been used many times throughout history to solve human problems. Consider Germany’s Flying Man, Otto Lilienthal.

     An inspiration to the Wright Brothers and their efforts in flying at the turn of the 20th Century, Otto Lilienthal began his research into aerodynamics in the 1870s and 1880s. His study of birds and butterflies and how they fly influenced his glider designs—designs with the stabilizer in the rear of the aircraft (as is generally done today) as opposed to the Wright Flyer with the stabilizer in the front. Lilienthal was particularly intrigued by storks and seagulls; he observed how they were able to make use of sea breezes to remain aloft without having to flap their wings.

     Otto designed sixteen different gliders and made over 2,000 flights between 1891 and 1896. During these flights, he learned to control the direction of flight by shifting his weight from front to back and from left to right. This shifting of the center of gravity for aircraft control is used today with parachutes, hang gliders, and paragliders. What’s more, Lilienthal’s sharing of this practical application of mathematical principles of weights, arms, and moments aided the Wright Brothers in building and flying their glider years later.

     What can learners expect to gain from aviation ground school? Whether going on to become pilots, aircraft mechanics, or aeronautical engineers, learners master the STEM mathematics concept of weight and balance. They also learn to predict and apply concepts involving aircraft performance, more STEM science and engineering skills learned in ground school. Remote Pilot Ground School is a unique course filled with STEM studies distilled from the observations and biomimetic lessons learned by aviation giants like Otto Lilienthal.