Leonardo da Vinci designed a glider with rigid wings and a pilot’s seat.
The glider concept emerged from his sustained investigations of bird flight, air resistance, balance, and wing structure. Unlike an ornithopter, which attempts to fly by flapping wings, a glider relies on aerodynamic lift while descending or riding moving air. Leonardo’s drawings show a framework intended to support a person, with wings shaped to provide lift.
Leonardo correctly recognized that human flight required careful control of weight, balance, and airflow. However, his proposed gliders lacked an engine and could not gain altitude on their own. The designs were theoretical or experimental rather than proven aircraft.
This aircraft should not be confused with Leonardo’s famous aerial-screw sketch or his bird-like flapping machines. Those designs used different principles: rotary lift in the first case and powered wing motion in the second.