The Patent for a New Kind of Flight
In January 1928, Nikola Tesla was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,655,114 for what he called a “helicopter-airplane.” The invention proposed a unique vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that could switch mid-air from helicopter to airplane mode by tilting its wings and propeller. Tesla’s design predated successful VTOL aircraft by decades and introduced several unconventional ideas.
A Dual-Mode Aircraft with a Tilting Wing System
Tesla’s machine featured a fuselage with two square wings, approximately eight feet on each side, mounted on a pivot. At takeoff, the aircraft would rest vertically on a set of wheels, with the wings upright and the propeller overhead, functioning as a helicopter. After gaining altitude using high engine power, the wings and propeller would tilt forward, transforming the craft into a fixed-wing airplane for efficient forward flight. Tesla specified that the engine would operate at reduced power in this mode.
Adjustable Seating and a Turbine-on-Turbine Idea
One of the most unusual aspects of Tesla’s concept was the passenger seating. The seats were suspended on pivoting mounts so that they could remain upright regardless of the aircraft’s orientation, rotating up to 90 degrees during flight mode transition. Tesla also envisioned a propulsion system involving a turbine placed atop another turbine—a concept intended to deliver compact power for vertical lift, though it was not realized in practice.
A Machine Never Built, but Carefully Detailed
Although Tesla never constructed a working model, the patent contains detailed diagrams and descriptions of the flight mechanism. The aircraft included three pairs of wheels for stable ground support and featured two intersecting wheel bases, allowing the craft to land vertically or glide down like a traditional airplane. Tesla even suggested selling the invention for just $1,000—about $27,000 today.
An Idea Ahead of Its Time
Tesla’s helicopter-airplane combined vertical lift with horizontal flight efficiency, a problem later addressed by modern tiltrotor aircraft such as the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. While the concept remained theoretical during his lifetime, the detailed patent stands as one of the earliest known proposals for a practical VTOL aircraft with a tilt-wing mechanism.
In 1928, Nikola Tesla patented a machine that could lift off like a helicopter and fly like a plane.
Called the 'helicopter-airplane,' it featured tilting wings and a propeller.
His concept hid ideas decades ahead of its time…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/0qkrq89j2h
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 7, 2025