A gyroplane, also known as an autogiro, is an aircraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. The autogiro was invented by Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva and first flew in 1923. It is a type of rotary-wing aircraft that combines features of the helicopter with those of the fixed-wing aircraft. The autogiro has a freely-spinning rotor that is driven by air passing through the rotor from below, producing lift. The autogiro is capable of taking off and landing vertically, and can hover in mid-air.