Flytanalyser

Flytanalyser is an open-source software package for analyzing video data of flying insects, with a focus on fruit flies (Drosophila). The tool provides automated detection, tracking of individual flies across frames, and extraction of behavioral and flight metrics such as trajectory, speed, turning angles, and wingbeat-derived estimates. It supports batch processing of large video datasets and export of results in common formats for statistical analysis.

Design and features: The system is modular and extensible, built to integrate with standard computer vision libraries. It supports plugin modules for custom analyses, supports CSV and JSON exports, and can be used with workflow frameworks or notebooks. The software aims to facilitate reproducible analysis by providing configurable pipelines and logs of processing steps.

Applications: It is used in ethology, neuroethology, genetics, and pharmacology to study alterations in flight behavior under genetic manipulation, environmental stimuli, or pharmacological agents. Researchers employ it to compare phenotypes, quantify locomotion patterns, and correlate movement with neural or genetic factors.

Platform and licensing: The project is cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) and released under an open-source license, promoting community contributions and transparency in methods.

Limitations and community: The accuracy of detections and measurements depends on video quality, lighting, and camera angle. Three-dimensional flight reconstruction may require specialized equipment and calibration. Processing speed depends on hardware. The project is maintained by a community of researchers and developers, with documentation that includes tutorials, API references, and example datasets.

Related topics include ethology, computer vision in biology, and Drosophila research.