This is a working version our desired end goal. BUT IT IS AN ALPHA VERSION AND REQUIRES SOME ASSEMBLY, SUBSEQUENT TO ASSEMBLY ITS FLIGHT MAY THEN DESTROY IT. But it's fun :)

Goal - A Dune-inspired Ornithopter that has flapping wings and can fly!

We're 25% there. It can fly. I would give it 50%, but it can't fly like we wanted quite yet.

There is a toroidal propeller, that can fit both https://makerworld.com/en/models/93385 and https://makerworld.com/en/models/180016 launchers (both seen in the pictures). For the wind up propeller launcher I made a kind of wind-up key to fit on the mechanism since it's a bit hard to generate enough power to lift the ornithopter (https://makerworld.com/en/models/224184).

The propeller has a shaft that goes through the ornithopter, as well as some ‘bearings’ - the idea being I don't want the ornithopter spinning when flying :). That's where I give us 25% on achieving the desired flight. It does fly, and it doesn't just spin….but it still spins a little. It is surprisingly well balanced though after some iterations.

The final step is going to be using the spinning propeller/shaft to flap the wings a bit. I have tried some mechanisms with some promise, but thought that this was pretty fun already - and I may never be successful with the flapping so might as well put this alpha version out there.