Ornithopter, machine designed to fly by the flapping of its wings in imitation of birds. The wooden bird said to have been made about 400 BC by Archytas of Tarentum is one of the earliest examples. The Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus involves man’s use of wings in the manner of birds. Leonardo da Vinci made many drawings and models of such aircraft in the late 15th century. Although a few short flights have been recorded, ornithopters remain impractical.
Leonardo da Vinci: ornithopter
How to Design and Build your first Ornithopter There are two common types of ornithopters. The simplest models are powered by winding up a rubber band. These ornithopters are the least expensive to build, and they can be flown indoors. The rubber-band-powered ornithopters are great for a school competition to see who can get the longest flight time. Building and flying these ornithopters is a great way for kids to learn about science and how to work as a team. This is also the recommended starting point for adults.
Some people don't want to start with a rubber-band-powered ornithopter, because it doesn't seem technologically advanced. But the rubber-powered ornithopter will teach you important concepts and skills that you will find useful when you start building more complex ornithopters. You will progress more rapidly by having this foundation. The rubber-powered ornithopter itself has become highly developed, with some very unique designs and advanced concepts.
The second type of ornithopter is powered by an electric motor. Electric ornithopters are more difficult to design and build. These ornithopters range from 10 cm wingspan "micro air vehicles" to the size of an eagle. They are often radio controlled, and they can carry payloads such as cameras. The first challenge is constructing a reliable gearbox and flapping mechanism that will provide enough power for your ornithopter to fly. Once you have accomplished that, you will find that getting an ornithopter to steer and turn effectively can be equally difficult. As you overcome each of the challenges that your ornithopter can present, you will advance your knowledge of building techniques, electronics, and the principles of flight. How Ornithopters Got Started The idea of the ornithopter comes from ancient times. Three thousand years ago, Assyrian and Persian stone carvings depicted God riding in an ornithopter. The Greek legend of Daedalus and Icarus describes two men building wings which they used to escape from the labyrinth. In 875 AD, Abbas ibn Firnas in Spain built an ornithopter/glider with which he made the first successful gliding flight by a human. In the 1870s the focal point for the development of aviation was in Paris. Unmanned aircraft were built, including ornithopters, as a stepping stone to the development of manned flight. The rubber-band-powered ornithopters developed then form the basis for modern designs that are built by students and hobbyists today. Steam and internal combustion engines were then used, with some great advancements taking place in Germany prior to World War II. Alexander Lippisch, who is also known for developing the Me 163 Komet rocket-powered fighter, led a team of young researchers who perfected the design of engine-powered, unmanned ornithopters, achieving successful flights up to 16 minutes. Building on that work, in 1942, Adalbert Schmid made the first successful flight of a powered, manned ornithopter. Although there have been a few others, Schmid's manned ornithopter still stands as the most successful to date. The first radio-controlled ornithopter was built by Percival Spencer in 1960. He also built a series of more bird-shaped, engine-powered ornithopters. During the 1990s, Spencer's design was adapted for electric power and came to greatly influence the design of most RC ornithopters to this day. |
What is the definition of an "ornithopter"?
An ornithopter is a device that imitates the flapping-wing flight found in nature. The word "ornithopter" (c.1908) combines the ancient Greek words for "bird" and "wing". An ornithopter doesn't need to have feathers, though. What makes it birdlike is the flapping motion! How is it different from an airplane or helicopter? Airplanes have a rotating propeller. Helicopters have a rotary wing that provides both lift and thrust. Those machines are driven by rotating airfoils. Instead of rotation, the ornithopter wing imitates the reciprocating motion of a bird's wing.
The flapping wings of the ornithopter don't have to supply all of the lift. Even in real birds, the body and tail provide a significant portion of the total lift.
Ornithopter (simple definition): An ornithopter is a device that flies by flapping wings.
Ornithopter (technical definition): An ornithopter is manned aircraft or an unmanned flying machine in which the driving airfoils have a flapping, reciprocating, or oscillating motion, instead of the rotary motion used in airplanes and helicopters.
