Publications

Abstract : Flying snakes exhibit an exceptional gliding mechanism without any added appendages that can aid gliding. Several studies on the mechanism have shown that the snake performs a ballistic dive from a height and glides through the air at high angles of attack of 35 degrees and above. Research has shown the morphing of their body structure from a cylindrical to a flattened shape with a rounder dorsal surface makes it possible for these creatures to not only perform glide but also various turning maneuvers. In this study, the variations of the lift, drag and normal force coefficients (CL, CD and CN) with glide angle are predicted by solving the three dimensional, steady, viscous, incompressible flow over the snake during its glide using CFD study. The three dimensional CFD analysis shows that the lift and normal force coefficients keep increasing increases with the glide angle even up to a high glide angle of 35 degrees which helps the snake to counteract the gravitational force. Further, the aerodynamic efficiency of the snake is still less than its maximum value at this glide angle, which is not predicted by twodimensional analysis. This study can aid in applications for security and defense.