Re: Tapejara Military Drone

[Mike Habib <habib@jhmi.edu>]

I'm very happy to see them doing this project, as well.  However, I am  
slightly concerned with the apparent fixation/focus on using the head  
and crest to generate the rolling and yawing moments.  It can be used  
to do so, but a) the wings should still be the primary control surface  
(especially for roll) and b) Ross Elgin et al have data suggesting  
that large turning moments about the head would be damaging to the  
upper cervicals and basicranium in most taxa (dsungeripterids, with  
their massively expanded post-occipital process might have bucked the  
trend in this regard).

Still, it's neat stuff :)

--Mike



On Oct 7, 2008, at 1:18 AM, jrc wrote:

> Doesn't matter that it has been done before, and doesn't matter  
> thant pterosaurs aren't dinosaurs -- I'm glad to see Sankar doing  
> it !!
> I don't know if the group of previous builders they're joining is  
> select, but it sure is small :-)
> JimC
> P.S.  If they are doing a true membrane wing, they are in for quite  
> a steep learning curve.  If a semi-rigid wing like MacCready, it  
> will be a lot easier.

Michael Habib, M.S.
PhD. Candidate
Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
1830 E. Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21205
(443) 280-0181
habib@jhmi.edu