ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Mario Martinez Groves-Raines is an author on ‘ Steady as they hover: kinematics of kestrel wing and tail morphing during hovering flights’, published in JEB. Mario is a PhD Student in the lab of Dr Shane Windsor (University of Bristol, UK), Dr Abdulghani Mohamed (RMIT, Australia) and Professor Simon Watkins (RMIT, Australia), investigating the flight of birds from an aerodynamics and flight control perspective, learning and inspiring new flight techniques for human-made aircraft.
Mario Martinez Groves-Raines
How did you become interested in biology?
Growing up in the north-west of Spain, I was often fascinated by the flight abilities of large birds of prey. My parents, both biologists, passed on to me their passion for the natural world, sparking my interest in observing and understanding living creatures. However, during high school, I developed a growing interest in engineering, particularly aerospace engineering. This passion led me to pursue an aerospace engineering degree at the University of Bristol, UK. During the final years of my Bachelor's and Master's degrees, I participated in research projects focused on bio-inspiration, specifically linking birds and aircraft to learn from these natural fliers. It was immensely satisfying to merge my two scientific interests into a field of research that is rapidly gaining attention.
Describe your scientific journey and your current research focus
In 4 years, I completed a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol. During this time, I engaged in research projects focused on bird flight and its applications in engineering. For example, I investigated how birds gain efficiency by flying in ‘V’ formations and how feather vibrations in gliding birds might serve as important sensory input for flight control. My passion for this topic led to an offer to undertake a joint PhD between the University of Bristol and RMIT University in Australia. My research focuses on the flight of hovering kestrels and its potential applications for improving aircraft performance. As a PhD student, I analyzed the detailed kinematics of wind-hovering kestrels, discovering common morphing techniques that contribute to their steadiness in flight. This investigation was followed by an aerodynamic analysis that explored the usefulness of morphing in bird flight by developing high-fidelity morphing prototypes that mimic bird kinematics. This allowed for a close comparison between the control strategies of birds and similar-sized aircraft, highlighting some of the advantages birds have over their artificial counterparts.
How would you explain the main findings of your paper to a member of the public?
Our study looked at how kestrels, a common bird of prey, are able to hover in place so steadily in the wind. We used special cameras to track the movements of two kestrels as they hovered in a wind tunnel. By placing small markers on their wings, tails, bodies and heads, we could see exactly how they moved to stay steady. We found that the most predominant motion for these kestrels was the extension and retraction of their wings, suggesting their importance for steady flight. They can move different parts of their wings and tails in a coordinated way to balance the forces that act on them during flight. For example, when they pull their wings back, the tips of the wings twist in a way that helps them stay balanced. This combination of movements helps them achieve steady flight even in windy conditions. Interestingly, each one of the two birds used slightly different wing and tail movements to stay in place, but both were equally steady. This shows that kestrels have a lot of flexibility in how they control their flight. They can use various techniques to achieve the same goal of staying steady in the air. The insights we gained from studying kestrels could inspire new ways to design and control airplanes. Birds like kestrels are very agile and can maintain stability in challenging conditions, something that could be very useful for improving the performance of fixed-wing aircraft. In summary, our research reveals how the coordinated movements of a kestrel's wings and tail enable it to hover steadily. These findings highlight the potential for using similar strategies in aircraft design to enhance stability and control.
Why did you choose JEB to publish your paper?
We believe this work is extremely novel and will captivate a broad spectrum of biologists and engineers. This is because it integrates various fields, including behavior, motor control, biomechanics and aircraft flight dynamics. By employing a unique experimental method, we can study these interconnected fields under highly controlled conditions while stimulating a complex natural behavior, offering valuable insights. The interdisciplinary nature and innovative methodology of this research make it particularly intriguing and significant for advancing knowledge in both biology and engineering domains.
What do you enjoy most about research, and why?
What I enjoy most about research is the excitement of discovering completely novel findings, especially in a multidisciplinary field that combines biology and engineering. It's incredibly fulfilling to merge these two areas, uncovering insights from nature and applying them to technological advancements. This intersection allows for innovative solutions and a deeper understanding of both natural and engineered systems. Additionally, working at the convergence of these fields provides opportunities to collaborate with experts from diverse backgrounds, further enriching the research process and fostering creativity. The potential to make meaningful contributions that bridge the gap between biology and engineering is truly inspiring.
What is the hardest challenge you have faced in the course of your research and how did you overcome it?
The hardest challenge I faced in my research was dealing with an enormous and rich kinematics dataset. The sheer volume of data presented countless possibilities for analysis, making it difficult to decide which specific questions to focus on. To overcome this, we prioritized discovering the most important kinematics enabling kestrel wind hovering. By systematically narrowing down the dataset, we focused on key aspects that would provide the most significant insights. This approach helped us manage the data effectively and derive meaningful conclusions about the critical movements kestrels use to maintain steady flight.
Mario Martinez Groves-Raines's contact details: Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TR, UK; RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
E-mail: [email protected]
