Flapping-Wing Aircraft 3d Model – With Walking Animation

An ornithopter is a heavier-than-air aircraft with wings that can flap up and down like the wings of birds and insects. Also known as a flapping-wing aircraft. The flapping wings not only generate lift but also produce forward thrust. Attempts to make flying wooden birds date back to China’s Spring and Autumn period. In the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci sketched designs for an ornithopter. In 1930, an Italian ornithopter model underwent a test flight. Since then, various designs for ornithopters have emerged, but issues related to control technology, materials, and structure have not been resolved, leaving ornithopters mostly in the model-building and conceptual stage.

In 2013, scientists at the technology company Festo developed a machine bird called SmartBird, which can both mimic bird flight and flap its wings with striking realism. The research indicates that the flapping-wing form cannot generate upward thrust for airplanes, but this type of bird-like aircraft can take off and land just like real birds, making it a significant milestone in the development of ornithopters.