We present self-lifting artificial insect wings by means of electrostatic actuation for the first time. Excited by a DC power source, biomimetic flapping motions have been generated to lift the artificial wings 5cm above ground (limited by the current experimental setup) under an operation frequency of 50–70Hz. Three achievements have been accomplished: (1) first successful demonstration of self-lifting electrostatic flying wings; (2) low power consumption as compared to other actuation schemes; and (3) self-adjustable rotating wing design to provide the lifting force. As such, this work can lead to a new class of electrostatic flapping actuators for artificial flying insects.