Bio-Inspired Flight Mechanisms for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: An Overview

• Muyideen O. MOMOH

  Faculty of Air Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Emmanuel I. AWODE

  Faculty of Air Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Gowon SULE

  Faculty of Air Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Umar ABUBAKAR

  Department of Computer Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

  Author

• Ikechukwu O. ALUM

  School of Postgraduate Studies, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Usman K. AMINU

  Department of Computer Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

  Author

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have garnered immense attention due to their versatility and wide-ranging applications. Notwithstanding their wide range applications, UAVs flight capabilities are still limited compared to natural flyers like birds, insects and bats.  The field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) continues to evolve rapidly, driven by need for enhanced performance, autonomy and efficiency. To enhance the flight capabilities of UAVs, researchers have turned to nature for inspiration, studying the flight mechanisms of birds, insects and bats. Bio-inspired flight mechanisms offer a promising solution to improving UAV performance. Exploring these solutions will go a long way in designing and manufacturing UAVs that will have better and improved features to what is currently obtainable. This paper delves into the investigation of bio-inspired flight mechanisms for UAVs, exploring examples from nature and referencing relevant literature to provide insights into the potential applications and advancements in UAV technology geared towards improving the UAV agility, stability and endurance. This study also focuses on applications of bio-inspired UAVs in some notable areas such as search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring, agriculture, surveillance and reconnaissance amongst others.

• FJET_12_59_52

Copyright (c) 2025 FUDMA Journal of Engineering and Technology

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.