And they said it couldn't be done...

[#juan]

Today, the Ornithopter, tomorrow, the world...

http://www.ornithopter.ca/MediaGallery/Videos/index_e.html

 

[#juan]

I don't know why anybody would spend the time and money to build a wing flapping airplane because it has to be the most inefficient way to get yourself into the air with your own power but here it is.

PS - They cheated with a small jet engine.

 

[humanbeing]

Man, we rule!

I don't know why anybody would spend the time and money to build a wing flapping airplane because it has to be the most inefficient way to get yourself into the air with your own power but here it is.

I think this is a good start... and who really knows where the ornithopter will lead us?

Back in the day, the very first jets were outmatched by the old school propeller driven engines (or whatever you call them). Maybe a few years down the road, these ornithopters will all have the range of a bomber and be able to go from 0 to mach 6 in under five seconds...

That'd be cool to see an ornithopter break the sound barrier.

 

[Tonington]

I have a feeling that with all those moving parts, breaking the sound barrier might be hazardous to the survival of the machine,

 

[Sassylassie]

Finally an aircraft that can out wit a bird, instead of sea gulls hitting planes it will be a plane hitting sea gulls. I wonder what the survival rate is if there is a bird strike??