Leonardo da Vinci designed a flapping wing, or ornithopter, inspired by the flight of birds and bats.
Leonardo spent years observing birds, bats, and other flying animals. His notebooks contain studies of wing shapes, feathers, air currents, and the movement of wings. From this work he developed machines in which a human pilot would power wings by moving mechanical linkages with the arms and legs.
An ornithopter differs from an airplane because its wings flap rather than remaining fixed while generating lift. Leonardo’s designs were not practical human-powered aircraft: human muscles cannot provide enough sustained power to lift a person and the machine’s structure. Some drawings combine animal-like wings with frameworks and controls that reflect his attempt to translate biology into engineering.
Leonardo’s studies were still influential because they connected careful observation with mechanical experimentation. His notebooks also contain concepts for gliding and rotary flight, but the flapping-wing machine is the clearest example of his biomimetic approach.