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HISTORY

 
 Manned Ornithopters
 Full History
 History Archive


HOW TO

 
 Getting Started
 How to Design & Build
 Competition Info
 Design Tools


MEDIA

 
 Design Manual
 Newsletter
 Free Plans


RESOURCES

 
 Teachers Guide
 Web Site Links


ABOUT

 
 About the Society
 Contact Info

 



























The Ornithopter Society

Founded in 1984, The Ornithopter Society launched the modern resurgence of
flapping wing aircraft. Ornithopter Society publications, including the
Ornithopter Design Manual, Flapping Wings newsletter, and online content,
provide the ultimate resource for those seeking to build ornithopters or those
interested in the history and culture of this unique phenomenon.

 
Ornithopter (definition): An ornithopter is a 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.              

Download the Ornithopter Design Manual

We are making the Ornithopter Design Manual available for free download. The
Ornithopter Design Manual, written by Patrick Deshaye and Nathan Chronister,
offers the only comprehensive treatment of ornithopter design and construction
techniques. You can also download the Flapper Facts and Flapping Wings
newsletters from 1984 through 2002.

Ornithopter Design Manual (PDF)
Flapping Wings Newsletter (1984-2002)

You can visit the How To section of this web site to get a quick introduction to
building your own ornithopters. Then read the Ornithopter Design Manual and
newsletters when you want to learn more. If you find these resources helpful,
please consider supporting the work of the Ornithopter Society. Your small
donation helps cover the cost of maintaining and updating the website, while
most of the work to bring you the site is done on a voluntary basis.



Why Build Ornithopters?

People will often ask what ornithopters are used for. Above any other purpose,
ornithopters are a great vehicle for learning. For high school studionts,
ornithopters are a great way to learn about engineering, physics, math,
electronics, and more! At the university level, ornithopters are part of the
advanced research into aerodynamics, bird flight, and robotics. Individual
hobbyists also enjoy learning new skills as they rise to the challenge of
flapping wing flight!


Education. Students can build ornithopters for a school project. They can learn
about engineering, physics, math, electronics, and more!

   


Ornithopters are a great hobby for those who enjoy the challenge of coming up
with their own designs. There are also ready-made toy ornithopters if you just
want to fly one.

Some other applications for ornithopters have been implemented. Like other types
of radio controlled aircraft, ornithopters can be used to carry cameras.
Ornithopters can be made to look like a real bird or insect, so they could be
used for covert spying. Ornithopters have also been used in studies of wildlife
where an aircraft resembling a real bird was needed. Another application that
has been tested is the use of ornithopters to chase birds away from airports.
Bird control specialists use a variety of methods to keep birds away from
runways. If an airplane runs into birds, it can receive damage causing it to
crash, so this is an important part of airline safety.

Of course, there has been some effort to develop ornithopters as a type of
manned aircraft. Adalbert Schmid, who in 1942 built the first successful manned
ornithopter, believed that flapping wings would be more fuel-efficient than
airplanes. Others observed the high maneuverability of birds and thought that
manned ornithopters could emulate that ability. Regardless of whether that is
true, there are many people who just want to have the experience of flying like
a bird.

How Ornithopters Got Started

The idea of the ornithopter came from ancient times. Three thousand years ago,
Assyrian stone carvings depicted God riding in an ornithopter. The Greek legend
of Daedalus and Icarus tells of two men who built wings in order to escape from
a labyrinth. In 875 AD, Abbas ibn Firnas in Spain constructed a bird-inspired
aircraft, with which he made the first 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 formed 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 an
engine-powered, manned ornithopter. Although there have been a few others,
Schmid's manned ornithopter still stands as the most successful to this day.

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 our modern RC ornithopters. Read more ornithopter
history.

 


Frequently Asked Questions

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 a 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.

Did Leonardo da Vinci invent the ornithopter?
Leonardo da Vinci did not invent the ornithopter. The idea of the ornithopter
goes back to ancient times. Ancient Assyrians depicted God flying in a winged
chariot or ornithopter about 3,000 years ago. Ornithopter attempts were made
before Leonardo's time, and Leonardo himself never actually built one -- he only
drew sketches. The first successful flight of a manned ornithopter was in 1942.

Have people ever flown in an ornithopter?
Yes. Adalbert Schmid's engine-powered manned ornithopters, flown in 1942 and
1947, were the most successful to date. Several other manned ornithopters have
made successful flights.

How does an ornithopter fly?
It's complicated, so find out in the How To section of this web site.

Why doesn't the upstroke cancel out the downstroke?
The force produced by a wing depends on the angle the wing is held at, relative
to its motion through the air. This is called the "angle of attack". During the
upstroke, the angle of attack is adjusted so that the wing isn't pushing down on
the ornithopter. more

Can I build my own ornithopter?
Yes! Many people build ornithopters as a hobby or school project. There are free
plans on this web site. Also check out the Ornithopter Design Manual.