On the Conical Motion and Aerodynamics of the Cheetah Tail

The cheetah is capable of incredible feats of maneuverability [1] and these maneuvers generally involve rapid swinging of the animal’s lengthy tail. Very little is understood about the cheetah’s use of its tail and the common view is that it is “heavy” and possibly used as a “counter balance” or as a “rudder”. Ultimately, a deeper understanding of this specialized animal will inspire future high-speed, maneuverable robots.