Building An Ornithopter, Canada

Commercial radio controlled designs stem from Percival Spencer's engine-powered Seagulls, developed circa 1958, and Sean Kinkade's work in the late 1990s to present day. The wings are usually driven by an electric motor. Many hobbyists enjoy experimenting with their own new wing designs and mechanisms. The opportunity to interact with real birds in their own domain also adds great enjoyment to this hobby. Birds are ten curious and will follow or investigate the model while it is flying. In a few cases, RC birds have been attacked by birds prey, crows, and even cats. More recent cheaper models such as the Dragonfly from WowWee have extended the market from dedicated hobbyists to the general toy market,
Some helpful resources for hobbyists include The Ornithopter Design Manual, book written by Nathan Chronister, and The Ornithopter Zone web site, which includes a large amount information about building and flying these models.
As demonstrated by birds, flapping wings fer potential advantages in maneuverability and energy savings compared with fixed-wing aircraft, as well as potentially vertical take-f and landing. It has been suggested that these advantages are greatest at small sizes and low flying speeds.