Leonardo da Vinci designed an ornithopter, a bird-inspired flying machine with flapping wings rather than rotating blades.
The word ornithopter comes from Greek roots meaning “bird” and “wing.” Leonardo studied birds, bats, and the mechanics of their wings, then drew machines in which a human pilot would operate large articulated wings through pedals, levers, or other mechanical linkages. His designs explored how motion might be transferred from the pilot’s body to the wings.
Leonardo understood that human muscle power alone would be a serious limitation. A person could not produce the sustained power-to-weight ratio needed for a large flapping aircraft, so the machines remained designs rather than successful piloted aircraft.
The ornithopter is different from Leonardo’s aerial screw. The ornithopter uses flapping wings, while the aerial screw uses a rotating helical surface. Both belong to his extensive investigations into whether mechanical flight could imitate nature.