Leonardo da Vinci studied an ornithopter, a flying machine intended to rise by flapping birdlike wings.
The word ornithopter comes from Greek roots meaning “bird” and “wing.” Leonardo investigated bird flight and sketched several machines with large wings moved by mechanical systems. His designs were based on observing birds, bats, and the movement of air around wings.
Leonardo understood that human muscles alone could not easily power wings large enough for sustained flight. Some of his designs therefore included pedals, levers, and gear mechanisms to transfer the operator’s effort to the wings. None became a successful aircraft, and there is no evidence that Leonardo built a working ornithopter.
The ornithopter is often confused with a glider. A glider depends on fixed wings and moving air, whereas an ornithopter is defined by flapping wings. Leonardo’s work nevertheless contributed to the long history of studying flight through engineering and anatomy.