[Lee Stewart]

Hummingbirds have the ability to fly backwards and hover in place, which makes them similar to helicopters. Researchers from Stanford University and Wageningen University published a study after tracking the torque from wings of 12 different species of hummingbirds and found that the birds’ ratio of their wing’s length to their width determined their ability to sustain hovering power. Specifically, hummingbirds with a larger aspect ratio (3.5 to 4.0 for hummingbirds) used less power. Engineers hope to use this information in helicopter design.