It's amazing, but it's true! An ornithopter is a device that flies by flapping its wings - just like a real bird or insect! How is it different from an airplane or helicopter? Those machines are driven by rotating airfoils. In an ornithopter, the driving airfoils have an oscillating motion instead. This imitates nature, because there are no animals with rotating parts. The Ornithopter Zone is the ultimate resource on these exciting machines. Our web site has video clips, how-to articles, free plans, and a discussion forum. We even have an online store where you can buy your own flying bird or insect! Try some of the links on the left side of this page to find out more about ornithopters. If you're interested in building your own ornithopters or sharing ideas with others, check out the Ornithopter Society. The society is made up of ornithopter researchers around the world, and you are welcome to join us. Members receive the Flapping Wings newsletter and other benefits. Ornithopters have been around a long time. The first successful ornithopter was flown in 1870. Originally, the ornithopter was seen as a way for people to fly, but it proved more difficult than the airplane. It was not until 1942 that a manned, engine-powered ornithopter was successfully flown. Potentially, flapping wings offer better fuel efficiency and greater maneuverability than airplanes or helicopters. However, the flapping wings result in a bumpy ride. For that reason, practical applications are limited to unmanned roles, like the the tiny spy-robots used by the military. Unmanned aircraft are expected to become increasingly important in the future. Some ornithopters can hover, like a helicopter, but most of them have to keep moving forward through the air, in order for their wings to produce lift. This is like the way an airplane flies. Also like an airplane, there is some separation of function: The outer part of the wing provides most of the thrust, acting like the propeller on an airplane. The inner part of the wing produces lift, almost like the fixed wing of an airplane.

Ornithopter Examples

Ornithopter Hobbyists: For many years, hobbyists have enjoyed building and flying their own ornithopters. The ornithopter provides enduring fascination: Although we now have beginner kits that make it easy to get started in this hobby, there is an endless variety of more advanced projects one can pursue.

Toy Ornithopters: Many people were first introduced to the ornithopter concept through a toy such as the classic Tim Bird from France, or one of the newer radio-controlled toy ornithopters.

Micro Air Vehicle Ornithopters: Researchers are working to reduce the size of ornithopters. Some of these tiny ornithopters can hover in place and carry useful payloads such as cameras. Typically these ornithopters are controlled by radio.

Manned Ornithopters: The ornithopter was originally conceived as a way to move people. It might be a bumpy ride, but several manned ornithopters have made successful flights.

Advanced Research: Flapping-wing flight continues to evolve, as evidenced by innovative research projects such as this ornithopter using a high-efficiency wing design.

Q: What is an "ornithopter"?
A: An ornithopter is a device that imitates the flapping-wing flight found in nature. The word "ornithopter" was invented about 100 years ago by combining the ancient Greek works for "bird" and "wing". An ornithopter doesn't need to have feathers, though. What makes it birdlike is the flapping motion! Airplanes have a rotating propeller. Helicopters have a rotary wing that provides both lift and thrust. But animals don't have any rotating parts!

Q: Why flapping wings?
A: I build ornithopters because people are blown away when they see one of these machines, flying high overhead, doing something they thought was utterly impossible. There are practical benefits as well: flapping wings potentially offer improved efficiency, more lift, higher maneuverability, and reduced noise compared with the rotary-driven airplanes and helicopters.

Q: Have people ever flown in an ornithopter?
A: 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. more

Q: Can I build my own ornithopter?
A: Yes! In fact, building an ornithopter is not as difficult as you might think. Many people build ornithopters as a hobby or school project. Start with one of the kits available from our online store.

Q: Where can I get an ornithopter that's already built?
A: You will find some ready-made toy ornithopters in our online store. This includes inexpensive rubber-band-powered flying birds as well as radio controlled models.

Q: How does an ornithopter fly?
A: The ornithopter works on the same principle as the airplane. The forward motion through the air allows the wings to deflect air downward, producing lift. The flapping motion of the wings takes the place of a rotating propeller. more

Q: Why doesn't the upstroke cancel out the downstroke?
A: The force produced by a wing depends on the angle the wing as held at, relative to its motion through the air. This is called the "angle of attack". During the upstroke, the angle of attack is reduced, keeping air resistance to a minimum. more

Q: Where can I get funding to build a manned ornithopter?
A: I don't know of any funding sources. I can only suggest that if you build a working, radio-controlled model of your proposed design, that will probably make it much easier to get funding. This is especially important if you want to build an ornithopter powered only by human muscle, as you must demonstrate the ability to fly with very little power.
  

More About Ornithopters

For a good overview of what has been done in the field of flapping wing aircraft, visit our What's Been Done page. There, you will learn about the history of ornithopters, and you'll get some ideas for your own ornithopter designs. Also be sure to visit the Build & Fly links on the left side of this page, if you'd like to build an ornithopter of your own.

Flapping wings can launch a great science fair investigation or school project. With today's simplified designs, it's even possible to hold a school contest where students compete for the longest flight times. Ornithopters are a really engaging, hands-on way for kids to learn about science. Visit our Teachers Guide or Science Fair page to find out more.