café KITP: The Physics of Flying – Teaching a Robotic Glider to Soar Like a Bird

Birds are amazing flying machines, capable of traveling thousands of miles across oceans and continents. To do this, they often exploit “thermals,” rising currents of hot air in the atmosphere, to soar high into the clouds. Over dinner and drinks, KITP Graduate Fellow Gautam Reddy will share insights into the fascinating phenomenon of thermal soaring, how birds migrate, and his experiences teaching a robotic glider to soar like a bird..
*Please note, seating is first-come, first-serve.

About café KITP: presented by UCSB’s Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, café KITP is a “physics café” which begins with a presentation by a speaker (usually a postdoctoral physicist) and is followed by questions and provocations facilitated by an interlocutor who inspires the audience to engage with the subject and the speaker. Food and drink are available for purchase and there is no cover charge.

Website link: https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/outreach/cafe-kitp