Earlier this year, RMIT engineers tested kestrel-inspired robots against turbulent winds in 2 studies. Today, their findings show that pairing wing and tail movements can boost lift and reduce instability in small aircraft

A tiny Australian falcon could offer engineers a new way to think about aircraft stability in turbulent winds. The nankeen kestrel is remarkably good at staying steady when gusts hit, making rapid adjustments with its wings and tail as conditions change.

Now, researchers have built a robotic version of the bird and tested its movements in wind tunnels. Their findings suggest that coordinating wing and tail movements could help small aircraft produce more lift while reducing instability.

How can kestrels handle turbulent winds?

The nankeen kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is a particularly stable flier, able to hover even when strong and unpredictable winds make flight difficult.


That ability has attracted the attention of aerospace researchers because small uncrewed aerial vehicles, or sUAVs, face many of the same problems. These aircraft are increasingly used for mapping, agricultural assessments, rescue work and rapid package deliveries, yet their small size can make them vulnerable to turbulent conditions.

The challenge is expected to become more serious as atmospheric turbulence worsens with climate change. Current sUAV designs generally rely on only a limited number of methods to deal with gusts because engineers have to balance weight, cost and maneuverability.

The kestrel, meanwhile, has evolved a much more flexible approach.

“Birds don’t rely on a single response to wind gusts,” Matt Penn, an RMIT engineer and study co-author, explained in a statement. “They constantly adjust their wings and tails to stay balanced, while the natural flexibility of their feathers and joints helps absorb sudden changes in airflow.”

What did the robotic kestrel reveal?

Researchers from RMIT and the University of Bristol created a robot replica capable of reproducing important movements seen in kestrels. The robot was then tested under controlled wind tunnel conditions to examine how changes such as wing extension and tail spread affected flight forces and stability.

One finding stood out. When wing and tail movements were used together, the combination improved lift performance while also reducing unwanted changes in flight.

“By creating a robot replica, we were able to measure how specific movements were contributing to steadiness in flight,” explained RMIT aerospace engineer and study co-author Mario Martinez Groves-Raines. “Many of these techniques have the potential to improve maneuverability of small aircraft, which encounter similar challenges to kestrels.”

The work builds on earlier research into how kestrels use wing and tail movements while hovering. The researchers' 2024 study examined the flight movements of two nankeen kestrels and found connections between different movements involved in maintaining steady flight.

Could kestrel flight improve small aircraft?

The latest findings point toward a possible future in which aircraft take more inspiration from the way birds naturally respond to unstable airflow.

Rather than depending on a single mechanism, engineers could potentially combine several movements and responses to help small aircraft remain controlled in difficult conditions.

The researchers are also interested in something beyond the kestrel's physical movements: how the birds sense and interpret changes in their surroundings.

Understanding that ability could eventually help improve onboard navigation technology for sUAVs, alongside structural changes inspired by the birds.

“This research shows what’s possible when engineers look to nature for solutions,” added RMIT engineer and study co-author Abdulghani Mohamed.

The research was published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface in two related papers. One, by Matthew Penn and colleagues, is “Bridging the gap: a review of gust mitigation in birds and small uncrewed aerial vehicles,” Journal of the Royal Society Interface 23(237), 2026. The other, by Mario Martinez Groves-Raines and colleagues, is “Stability and control benefits of coupled wing and tail morphing in kestrel wind-hovering flight explored using a robot replica,” Journal of the Royal Society Interface 23(239), 2026.

Australian nankeen kestrels could inspire better aircraft designs for turbulent conditions. RMIT and University of Bristol researchers tested a kestrel-inspired robot in wind tunnels and found that coordinated wing and tail movements improved lift while reducing instability. The findings could help guide future improvements in small uncrewed aerial vehicles and navigation technology.

FAQs

What bird inspired the research?
The nankeen kestrel.

What did the robot show?
Wing and tail coordination improved lift and stability.