Leonardo da Vinci studied an ornithopter, a flying machine designed to fly by flapping wings like a bird.
The word “ornithopter” comes from Greek roots meaning “bird” and “wing.” Leonardo’s notebooks contain many observations of birds, bats, and the mechanics of flight. He explored wings driven by human muscle, as well as systems that could transfer power from a pilot’s arms and legs to large wings.
Leonardo understood that a person could not simply flap oversized wings with enough strength to achieve sustained powered flight. His studies nevertheless helped distinguish gliding, lift, balance, and flapping propulsion. The surviving drawings show different arrangements of frames, membranes, pedals, and levers rather than one finished aircraft.
An ornithopter is not the same as a glider, which remains airborne by using forward motion and fixed wings. No evidence shows that Leonardo successfully flew a human-carrying ornithopter. His designs are historically important as systematic investigations of biological flight.