Leonardo da Vinci designed an ornithopter, a winged flying machine inspired by the flapping motion of birds.
Leonardo studied birds, bats, and the mechanics of flight in notebooks made during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. His ornithopter concepts used large wings that a human pilot would supposedly operate through mechanical linkages. The designs show his interest in translating biological movement into engineering.
An ornithopter is not the same as a helicopter or a glider. An ornithopter produces lift through flapping wings, while a helicopter uses rotating blades and a glider relies on aerodynamic lift without powered flapping. Leonardo’s ornithopters were never successfully flown, but they became famous examples of Renaissance aviation research.