Home▸Biology▸Hummingbird Hovering: Figure-Eight Wing Path, Leading-Edge Vortex and Power

🐦 Hummingbird Hovering: Figure-Eight Wing Path, Leading-Edge Vortex and Power

Blade-element model of a hovering hummingbird: figure-eight wingtip path, 70/30 downstroke-upstroke lift split, leading-edge vortex, power, altitude and scaling.

Biology3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted🟠 Blender

⚙ Under the hood

A blade-element model of a hovering ruby-throated-hummingbird-like bird that solves for the wingbeat balancing its weight: figure-eight wingtip path, about 70/30 downstroke/upstroke lift split, leading-edge-vortex-based forces, power versus the actuator-disc ideal, altitude and body-size scaling. Unlike the energy-only Hummingbird Energy Lab and the generic insect or avian wake labs, it resolves the full wingbeat kinematics, supination timing and up/down lift split with live force graphs.

AnimalsBirdsAerodynamicsBiomechanicsTrending Science

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install