Leonardo da Vinci’s corkscrew-shaped flying-machine concept is called the aerial screw.
Leonardo sketched the aerial screw around 1489, imagining a helical device that would rise by forcing air downward. His drawing shows a large linen-covered spiral framework supported by reeds, with a rotating platform at its center. The design was a thought experiment rather than a tested aircraft.
The aerial screw is often described as an early ancestor of the modern helicopter because both concepts use rotating lifting surfaces. However, Leonardo’s machine lacked an engine, a practical rotor system, and a demonstrated method for controlling flight. Its proposed power source was human muscle, which would not have been sufficient for a full-size version.
The design is also sometimes called a “helicopter” in popular accounts, but “aerial screw” is the historical name used for Leonardo’s sketch. It should not be confused with his flapping-wing ornithopter or his pyramid-canopy parachute.