How the skies over the worlds of the Imperium came to be dominated by the Ornithopter
has been lost in the annals of history. According to some accounts, whose veracity
has been increasingly placed into doubt, these nimble craft were invented by political prisoners,
scientists captured in the wake of the failed Thinker’s Rebellion.
Initially resisted by the pilots of the Imperium, they rose in popularity after
the Butlerian Jihad when the fall of the Machine God transformed the nature of man’s technology.
However they came into being,
Ornithopters are today the standard method of airborne travel within the Imperium.
There exists a multitude of models, ranging from single or dual seat reconnaissance craft,
gunships and transports in service with the Great Houses, to far larger cargo and command
ornithopters that can rival starships in both size and capability. While most are capable of
limited spaceflight, they are nevertheless usually relegated to atmospheric duties.
The defining characteristic of the Ornithopter is its use of rapidly oscillating wings
mimicking the motions of birds or insects. The number of such wings vary from model to model,
but can often be shortened or lengthened while in flight to increase their effectiveness
in different situations. Each wing is capable of independent movements, able to generate
lift and thrust in several different ways. Combined with more traditional jet propulsion,
these wings allow for extraordinarily nimble and high efficiency maneuvers.
Ornithopters can immediately propel themselves upwards, downwards, forwards, backwards and
to the left and right. They can seamlessly transition between different methods of flight,
each providing distinct amounts of thrust and lift with varying efficiency.
Their wings can be fixed in place to allow free gliding, or be deliberately beat 180
degrees out of sync with one another to provide a stable hovering capability.
Though common in both military and civilian use, the armed gun-thopters used by the
Imperium and its Great Houses remain the quintessential example of ornithopter design.
These consist of an angular greenhouse style side-by side cockpit, accommodating a pilot and
co-pilot, with additional seating for a navigator and gunner depending on the exact model. Their
elongated fuselages typically feature a rear loading ramp, enabling the swift embarkation
of cargo or passengers. Armed models most often feature a single, chin-mounted hardpoint,
outfitted with lasguns, missiles or repeating maula pistols. Protection is usually provided
by a Holtzman shield which could be removed in environments in which it was a liability.
While present across almost every famous battle in the history of the Imperium,
it is their operational history on Arrakis that is perhaps the most notable. Great House Ornithopters
were used in a variety of roles assisting in the harvesting and refinement of spice and in tackling
the unique dangers inherent to this industry. The distinctively bulky, 6-winged Ornithopters
used by House Harkonnen became infamous among the native Fremen for their role in anti-insurgency
operations. House Atreides own smaller, 8-winged ornithopters were used in a more supportive role,
ferrying nobles and supplies and assisting harvester drones on the lookout for wormsign.
They were used by both sides during the Battle for Dune, and their rusting hulks
can still be found in certain parts of the deep desert, slowly consumed by the restless sands.