History of Helicopter in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 13, 2026

A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more horizontally revolving rotors. This unique design allows it to take off and land vertically, hover in mid-air, and fly in any direction, including sideways and backward. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters do not require a runway, making them invaluable for operations in confined or remote areas. Their versatility makes them essential for diverse applications, including military transport, medical evacuations (medevac), search and rescue missions, firefighting, and aerial surveillance. Powered typically by gas turbine engines, helicopters utilize complex mechanical systems to adjust the pitch of rotor blades, allowing for precise control and maneuverability. While their development dates back to early aviation sketches by figures like Leonardo da Vinci, the first practical, mass-produced helicopters emerged in the mid-20th century, fundamentally transforming modern aviation and emergency response capabilities.

14 April 1924: First FAI Recognized Helicopter World Record

On 14 April 1924, Étienne Oehmichen achieved the first world record for a helicopter flight recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale by piloting his quadrotor aircraft a distance of 360 meters.

18 April 1924: Pescara Breaks Helicopter Distance Record

On 18 April 1924, Pescara surpassed the previous record set by Oehmichen by flying his aircraft for 736 meters at a height of 1.8 meters over a duration of 4 minutes and 11 seconds.

July 1901: Maiden flight of Hermann Ganswindt's helicopter

In July 1901, Hermann Ganswindt conducted the maiden flight of his helicopter in Berlin-Schöneberg, which is widely considered the first instance of a heavier-than-air, motor-driven flight carrying human passengers.

1901: Ján Bahýľ's Early Helicopter Flight

In 1901, Slovak inventor Ján Bahýľ successfully adapted an internal combustion engine to power his helicopter model, which achieved a brief flight at an altitude of 0.5 meters (1.6 feet).

May 1905: Bahýľ Helicopter Altitude and Distance Record

On 5 May 1905, the helicopter model developed by Ján Bahýľ reached a significant altitude of 4 meters (13 feet) and successfully covered a distance of over 1,500 meters (4,900 feet).

1906: Initial Airfoil Experiments by the Breguet Brothers

In 1906, Jacques and Louis Breguet initiated a series of experiments focusing on airfoils specifically for the development of helicopters, laying the foundational research that would lead to their later aircraft designs.

September 1907: First Manned Helicopter Lift of the Gyroplane No. 1

Between August 14 and September 29, 1907, the Gyroplane No. 1 successfully achieved a manned flight by lifting a pilot approximately 0.6 meters off the ground for one minute. Because the aircraft remained tethered by men at each corner to maintain stability, this event is classified as the first manned helicopter flight, though it was not an untethered free flight.

November 1907: First piloted free flight of the Cornu helicopter

On 13 November 1907, Paul Cornu achieved a historic milestone by conducting what is widely reported to be the first truly free flight with a pilot in his self-built helicopter. The craft, powered by a 24 hp Antoinette engine and featuring two counter-rotating rotors, rose to a height of 0.3 metres and stayed airborne for 20 seconds. Although the project eventually faced instability issues and was abandoned, this 1907 flight marked a significant step in the history of rotary-wing aircraft.

1907: Pioneering of the Four-Rotor Helicopter

In 1907, the four-rotor helicopter, or quadcopter, was first pioneered in France, establishing a design foundation for what would later evolve into modern multicopter technologies.

1908: Thomas Edison Helicopter Patent

In 1908, Thomas Edison filed a patent for a helicopter design powered by a gasoline engine featuring box kites attached to a mast; however, the aircraft never successfully achieved flight.

1909: Experimental Helicopter Flights by Williams and Berliner

In 1909, J. Newton Williams and Emile Berliner conducted three successful helicopter test flights at Berliner's laboratory located in the Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

1911: Ivan Slokar Helicopter Patent

In 1911, the Slovenian philosopher and economist Ivan Slokar successfully patented a new helicopter configuration, contributing to the early development of vertical takeoff aircraft technology.

1912: Construction of the Ellehammer helicopter

In 1912, Danish inventor Jacob Ellehammer constructed his namesake helicopter, featuring a unique design with two counter-rotating discs equipped with six vanes each. Following successful indoor tests, the aircraft performed several free take-offs during outdoor demonstrations in 1912.

September 1916: End of Ellehammer helicopter experiments

In September 1916, the development of the Ellehammer helicopter came to an abrupt end when the aircraft tipped over during a take-off attempt, resulting in the complete destruction of its rotors.

March 1923: Thomas Edison Recognizes George de Bothezat's Helicopter Flight

In March 1923, Time magazine reported that Thomas Edison sent a congratulatory message to George de Bothezat for a successful helicopter test flight conducted at McCook's Field. During this flight, the aircraft remained airborne for 2 minutes and 45 seconds at an altitude of 15 feet, prompting Edison to acknowledge it as the first successful helicopter.

1923: Commencement of Rotorcraft Research

In 1923, Dutch aeronautical engineer Albert Gillis von Baumhauer initiated his formal studies into the design and development of rotorcraft.

January 1924: Testing of Pescara's Helicopter No. 1

In January 1924, inventor Raúl Pateras-Pescara de Castelluccio conducted flight tests on his helicopter No. 1; however, the aircraft was determined to be underpowered and failed to generate enough lift to support its own weight.

1924: Cancellation of the de Bothezat helicopter program

In 1924, the United States Army Air Service officially terminated the development program for the quadrotor helicopter designed by George de Bothezat, which subsequently led to the aircraft being scrapped.

September 1925: First Prototype Rotorcraft Flight

On 24 September 1925, Albert Gillis von Baumhauer's first rotorcraft prototype achieved its initial flight, characterized by a hop and hover maneuver performed by Captain Floris Albert van Heijst using pioneering cyclic and collective control systems.

January 1927: Granting of Control System Patents

On 31 January 1927, the British ministry of aviation officially granted Albert Gillis von Baumhauer patent number 265,272 for his innovative cyclic and collective control inventions used in helicopters.

1927: Engelbert Zaschka builds a stabilizing helicopter

In 1927, German inventor Engelbert Zaschka constructed a helicopter featuring two rotors and a gyroscope. This gyroscope was utilized to enhance stability and acted as an energy accumulator, allowing the aircraft to perform gliding landings. This design was notable for being the first miniature helicopter to successfully achieve vertical takeoff, landing, and stable hovering at various heights.

1928: Oszkár Asbóth's Helicopter Prototype

In 1928, Hungarian aviation engineer Oszkár Asbóth successfully built a helicopter prototype. During this year, the aircraft achieved at least 182 successful take-offs and landings, with one notable flight lasting as long as 53 minutes.

1928: First Autogyro Channel Crossing

In 1928, Juan de la Cierva achieved a significant milestone by successfully piloting his autogyro on a flight from London to Paris, marking the first time a rotorcraft crossed the English Channel.

1930: Construction and Testing of the D'AT3 Helicopter

In 1930, Italian engineer Corradino D'Ascanio successfully built and tested the D'AT3, a coaxial helicopter featuring two counter-rotating rotors and innovative servo-tab control surfaces. During its 1930 trials, the aircraft achieved notable records, including an altitude of 18 meters, a flight duration of 8 minutes and 45 seconds, and a distance of 1,078 meters.

1934: Naval and Military Autogyro Milestones

During 1934, the autogyro achieved two major milestones: it successfully performed shipboard take-offs and landings for the first time, and it saw its first military deployment by the Spanish forces during the Asturias revolt.

1936: First Successful Helicopter Flight

In 1936, the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 was successfully demonstrated, marking a historic achievement as the world's first fully controllable and practical helicopter design.

1939: Commencement of VS-300 Development

In 1939, Igor Sikorsky initiated the development phase of the VS-300 aircraft, a project that would span several years and significantly influence rotorcraft technology.

1942: Full-Scale Production of the Sikorsky R-4

The year 1942 saw the Sikorsky R-4 achieve a major milestone by becoming the first helicopter model to be manufactured on a full-scale production level.

1943: Completion of the VS-300 Iterations

By 1943, Igor Sikorsky finalized the four iterations of the VS-300, which established the single main rotor and single tail rotor configuration that became the foundation for modern helicopter design.

December 1951: Pioneering of the Turboshaft Engine in Helicopters

In December 1951, the Kaman K-225 became the first helicopter to utilize a turboshaft engine, marking a significant advancement in aviation technology. This development provided helicopters with a superior power-to-weight ratio and increased reliability compared to traditional piston engines, effectively setting a new standard for future helicopter design.

1986: Chernobyl Disaster Management Helicopter Operation

In 1986, the largest non-combat helicopter operation in history was conducted in response to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, involving hundreds of pilots performing multiple daily sorties for several months to manage the crisis through airdrops and observation missions.

2017: 2017 Global Civil Helicopter Shipments

In 2017, the global civil helicopter industry saw 926 units shipped with a total valuation of $3.68 billion. Airbus Helicopters led the market with $1.87 billion from 369 units, followed by Bell Helicopter with $696 million for 132 units, Leonardo Helicopters with $806 million for 102 units (data covering the first three quarters), and Robinson Helicopter, which shipped 305 units for $161 million.

October 2018: Global Helicopter Fleet Statistics

As of October 2018, the global civil and government helicopter fleet comprised 38,570 aircraft. Market share was dominated by Robinson Helicopter, Airbus Helicopters, Bell, and Leonardo, with the Robinson R44, Airbus H125/AS350, and Bell 206 identified as the most prevalent models in service.

February 2021: Commencement of Ingenuity Service

In February 2021, NASA initiated the service of Ingenuity, a 1.8 kg helicopter designed for aerial surveying on Mars alongside a rover.

January 2024: Retirement of Ingenuity

In January 2024, the Ingenuity helicopter was officially retired after completing 73 sorties, following the discovery of sustained damage to its rotor blades.

4 May 1924: First One-Kilometer Closed-Circuit Helicopter Flight

On 4 May 1924, Étienne Oehmichen successfully completed the first helicopter flight spanning one kilometer in a closed circuit, finishing the journey in 7 minutes and 40 seconds using his No. 2 machine.