Leonardo da Vinci designed an ornithopter concept by modeling its wings on a bird’s flapping motion.
An ornithopter is an aircraft intended to fly by beating wings, rather than by using fixed wings or a rotor. Leonardo studied birds extensively and produced sketches of wing structures, frames, and mechanisms that a human operator might use to imitate their movement. His work belongs to a long history of attempts to understand and reproduce animal flight.
Leonardo’s proposed machines were not practical aircraft. Human muscles cannot generate enough sustained power to flap wings of the necessary size while also carrying a person and a supporting frame. His investigations nevertheless contributed to the study of aerodynamics, wing shapes, balance, and the relationship between lift and motion.
The term “ornithopter” applies to a class of aircraft, not just Leonardo’s designs. Modern experimental ornithopters have flown, especially at small scale, using motors or other power sources rather than human muscle alone.