What name is given to Leonardo da Vinci’s rotating flight-machine design?

Leonardo da Vinci’s rotating flight-machine design is called the aerial screw. His drawing, dated to about 1489, shows a large helical rotor intended to press against the air and lift the machine.

The design uses a linen-covered framework arranged like a screw or spiral. Leonardo reportedly reasoned that if the device were properly made and rotated, the helical surface could rise through the air. The sketch is often discussed as an ancestor of the helicopter, although it could not have flown as drawn because it lacked a practical engine and an effective way to generate enough power.

The aerial screw should not be confused with Leonardo’s ornithopter. An ornithopter imitates flapping wings, while the aerial screw depends on rotation. Both belong to Leonardo’s extensive investigations into human flight.

The concept is historically significant because it identifies a rotor-like principle centuries before powered helicopters became possible. Its importance lies in the idea, not in a successful Renaissance flight.