- Igor Sikorsky (Russia/United States): Sikorsky is credited with building and flying the first successful single-rotor helicopter in 1939, known as the Vought-Sikorsky VS-300.
- Juan de la Cierva (Spain): Cierva developed a series of successful autogiros, which are aircraft that use rotating wings for lift but rely on a separate engine for propulsion. His work laid the foundation for the development of helicopters.
- Emile Berliner (Germany/United States): Berliner designed and built several experimental helicopters in the early 20th century, including the Berliner Helicopter No. 1 in 1909.
- Louis Breguet (France): Breguet designed and flew a successful gyroplane, an aircraft similar to an autogiro, in 1907.
- George de Bothezat (Russia/United States): De Bothezat designed and built a large experimental helicopter called the de Bothezat helicopter, which flew successfully in 1922 but faced practical limitations.
Therefore, the invention of the helicopter involved the contributions of multiple inventors from different countries, with important developments occurring in various parts of the world, including the United States, Spain, Germany, and France.