Airplane

Using thin, lightweight PLA filament, a maker can 3D print a tiny, featherweight airplane with a generous wingspan. The fragile, hollowed-out plastic body is carefully designed for minimal weight and maximum surface area, creating a simple glider with no moving parts. A gentle toss from a high point—perhaps a second-story window—sends it gliding on a thermal current. The flight is short-lived and unpowered, ending in a soft, tumbling descent to the ground after a second or two of graceful, fleeting aviation.