noun
- an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings like a bird
Usage: technical
Examples
- Leonardo da Vinci designed several ornithopter concepts in his notebooks.
- The ornithopter’s wings beat rapidly as it lifted off the ground.
- Modern ornithopters are used primarily for research and recreation.
- Engineers study bird flight to improve ornithopter design.
- The small ornithopter hovered briefly before landing.
- Building a functional ornithopter requires understanding aerodynamics.