Human powered ornithopter

[Andrew]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/emergingtech/human-powered-flapping-wing-plane-first-ever-to-take-flight-video/2388

Includes video.

[Lord J]

Pretty cool. The next step in bikes perhaps? ;)

I'm too lazy to look it up, but is there any real benefit to ornithopter design over fixed-wing flying craft design?

[Caid Ivik]

Sure, if we had an aircraft moved by the wings only, it could be more maneuverable and controllable at low speeds, it can have a short take-off, and it would be more efficient than a helicopter. It's more a target than a result, as to copy the aerodynamics of birds or flies is impossible with most presently available materials and power sources.

It's the same as with "mech" designs, of course they're perfect for their all-terrain characteristics, but it takes a tremendous effort to design all the motorics. Muscles took billions of years to get evolved naturally, so I don't believe it's a matter of days to make something like that artificially...although one never knows -

[ordos45]

Brilliant...I'll go check and see how the Sandworms are coming along then... :)