How do insects fly? A bit of answer.

[Egeides]

Some scientist just wondered how come a sheet of paper didn't fall dieectly to the floor. This is where it started, and it took some timem before this enigma was recently solved:

http://www.cornellsun.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/10/26/417de0d2dfe7a

So maybe we'll get familial ornithopters in time for the Butlerian Jihad ;)

[Imperial Sardaukar]

Ornithopters are completely possible, working toys and models exist today. Problem is, to create a man-controlled ornithopter, you would need engineering and mechanics we dont have today, the wings of an ornithopter would require a gigantic amount of moving parts, it would jam and break down and crash often these days if it were to be tried.

[Caid Ivik]

Already in 15th century an austrian scientist Regiomontanus made few mechanical ornitoptheres, altough at size of a toy yet.

[thylacine]

hmm  sounds neat,  but gettign back to the title of your discussion, I notice that when insects fly it is either into your open mouth as you run or straight into my windscreen.

Both end up with a splat.  Not very good flying if you ask me...

:O)

[erjin999]

I thought they just flapped their wings a bit...actaully, a lot...  ???

[Imperial Sardaukar]

Leonardo Da Vinci already figured out how to create a flying ornithopter.

[thylacine]

LOL,

Actually when you watch the galaxy aircraft take off their wings tips start off nearly touching the runway and as they pick up speed they bend upwards more and more until they are flexed above the fuselage.  Considering how big these babies, you can drive a bus into them, that is almost like flapping their wings.

perhaps someone in the military was realy from Dune....... :O