Leonardo da Vinci's Ornithopter
Leonardo da Vinci's Ornithopter
Based on his studies of the flight of the birds, Leonardo da Vinci designed an "ornithopter" (1485), a human-powered machine intended to fly by beating its wings. He realized, however, that a person could not create enough thrust to take the device off the ground. Several designs have been constructed since the mid-1800s, powered by different types of engines.