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Questions tagged [ornithopters]

An ornithopter is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings.

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3 votes
1 answer
176 views

How useful were the wings and tail of Jean-Pierre Blanchard's balloon?

In 1784, Jean-Pierre Blanchard fitted a hand-powered propeller to a balloon, the first recorded means of propulsion carried aloft. In 1785, he crossed the English Channel in a balloon equipped with ...
Nail's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
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What is Snowbird flapping mechanism?

Reading this question and the great answer to it talking about Snowbird sustained human powered flight visible here, I was wondering and still cannot find nor figure out how power is converted from ...
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3 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are exoskeleton wings technically possible?

While there have been a robot simulating a bird, could be there also an exoskeleton wing system for a human? Main design considerations: a) only human powered b) using an additional, or exclusive ...
J. Doe's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
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Is there a flexible "cloth-like" material that can be used as "skin" for a non-conventional wing?

I am in the very early stages of playing with the idea of an ornithopter derived aircraft. The intention is to be able to scale the resulting aircraft, to passenger (or useful payload) carrying ...
Homunculus Reticulli's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
152 views

Where can I find more details about how ornithopters work?

I learnt about the special helicopter-ornithopter which was put forward by Delft University. Its principle is different from a common helicopter and it doesn't need a tail rotor. But there is very ...
SJ2050's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
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Can planes flap their wings like birds?

Birds use their strong breast muscles to flap their wings and give them the thrust to move throught the air and fly. In a way, birds use a swimming motion to get the lift needed to fly. Plane wings ...
anshabhi's user avatar
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