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Bird-like wings carry man 330 feet

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Published: March. 21, 2012 at 12:39 PM

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, March 21 (UPI) -- A Dutch man said he completed a flight of about 330 feet using homemade wings based on those of a bird.

Jarno Smeets, 31, an engineer, said he controlled the 55-foot wings using two Nintendo Wii controllers, the accelerometers from an HTC Wildfire S smartphone and Turnigy motors when he took off Sunday at a park in The Hague and flew for about a minute.

"Ever since I was a little boy I have been inspired by pioneers like Otto Lilienthal, Leonardo da Vinci and also my own grandfather," Smeets said.

Smeets has been chronicling his progress on the Human Bird Wings project on YouTube.

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