Autogyro

An autogyro, also known as a gyroplane, is a type of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor to fly. The autogyro's rotor must have air flowing across the rotor disc to create rotation, and the air flows upwards through the rotor disc and not down. Only one or two people can be on an autogyro.^[1]

A pusher-propeller autogyro in flight

The autogyro was invented by Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva to create an aircraft that could fly safely at low speeds. He first flew one on 9 January 1923 in Madrid.^[2] Cierva's autogyro is thought to be the predecessor of the modern helicopter.^[3][4]