TOKYO - A Japanese man who developed the world’s smallest helicopter will take flight in the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci in tribute to the Renaissance genius’ original idea. Gennai Yanagisawa, 75, said Thursday that a demonstration flight of his one-man helicopter is planned in the city of Vinci, near Florence, Italy, on May 25. Yanagisawa developed the GEN H-4 helicopter — with rotors, a chair, footrest and handle bar — in the late 1990s. Renaissance-era visionary da Vinci designed an “aerial screw” in the 1480s — believed to be the first portrayal of a vertical-flight machine, according to Italy’s National Museum of Science and Technology. Yanagisawa said Vinci Mayor Dario Parrini offered him an opportunity to fly his helicopter when the two met in the Italian city in February. A Guinness World Records spokeswoman confirmed the recognition of Yanagisawa’s helicopter as the world’s smallest model in terms of weight and rotor length of 13 feet . read more

Tags: helicopter, self portrait of Da Vinci, leonardo da vinci paintings, yanagisawa, application of perspective, gen, paintings, leonardo davinci