Fig. 4: Electrostatic adhesion improved maneuverability of a feathered wing at higher speeds.
From: Electrostatic adhesion mitigates aerodynamic losses from gap formations in feathered wings

A We used linear regression to model the lift and drag produced by the electrostatic (orange) and passive (blue) feathered wings. B Electrostatic adhesion (EA) enabled a smaller flight path radius during a pull-up maneuver at various flight speeds (11.5, 14.3, 17 m/s; distinguished by increased opacity). C The maximum x-distance (Xmax) traveled during the pull-up maneuver decreased with flight speed. This was because the overall change in angle of attack was limited by the difference between the maximum angle of attack (10°) and the trim angle of attack for each flight speed. In each case, EA feather fastening produced a smaller Xmax, with no overlap between respective 95% confidence intervals at the highest speed, as defined by the linear regression models. D The flight path angle change rate (\(\dot{\gamma }\)) increased with flight speed for both wings, but grew more rapidly for the EA feathered wing, producing a greater improvement in maneuverability at higher velocities (determined by 95% confidence interval).