Recently, there has been a serious effort to design aircraft that are as small as possible for special, limited-duration missions. These vehicles may carry visual, acoustic, chemical, or biological sensors for such missions as traffic management, hostage situation surveillance, rescue operations, etc.

The goal is to develop aircraft systems that weigh less than 90 grams, with a 15-centimeter wingspan. Since it is not possible to meet all of the design requirements of a micro air vehicle with current technology, research is proceeding. This new book reports on the latest research in the area of aerodynamic efficiency of various fixed wing, flapping wing, and rotary wing concepts. It presents the progress made by over 50 active researchers in the field from Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States. It is the only book of its kind.