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" Don&amp;#039;t let the size of micro air vehicles, or MAVs, fool you. Although some measure less than a foot across, these remote-control reconnaissance planes have proven to be deft, powerful tools for soldiers and police operating in the narrow airspace of cities and towns. But diminutive aircraft can&amp;#039;t carry much fuel or many batteries, and their use is often limited by short flight times. With civilian and military officials clamoring for more advanced urban MAVs, defense firms are developing models that can undertake longer surveillance missions. Future MAVs will also be able to set down on rooftops or ledges, which consumes less power than hovering and maintains a more stable viewing platform for cameras. CYBERQUAD  Length: 21&amp;quot;, Max Weight: 6.6 LB 1. Hover and Stare The electric CyberQuad, built by the Australian company Cyber Technology, uses four ducted fans that allow it to fly and hover. Like a helicopter, it can set down on any flat surface. Shrouds around the rotors give operators confidence to fly the craft in areas where an exposed blade might catch--a feature that came in handy during the recent inspection of a damaged oil rig in the Timor Sea.  XQ-138  Length: 28&amp;quot;, Max Weight: 6.2 LB 2. Stand Up and Fly The XQ-138, designed by University of Kansas aerospace engineering associate professor Ron Barrett, takes off and lands on its tail, courtesy of a spinning rotor. The entire airframe of the XQ-138 rotates 90 degrees for 150-mph forward flight. Actuators counter gusts of wind to keep the craft stable. STANFORD DRONE  Length: 39&amp;quot;, Max Weight: 0.8 LB 3. Stick Around At Stanford University&amp;#039;s Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab, professor Mark Cutkosky is developing a drone that can land on walls using sticky feet. The plane executes a deliberate stall as it approaches a wall and turns its underbelly to face the vertical surface. Flexible legs absorb the shock of impact. Tiny claws on the feet give the aircraft a tenacious grip, allowing it to crawl around and reorient before taking off again.  DEVIL RAY  Length: 24&amp;quot;, Max Weight: 2.5 LB 4. Perch for Power  Engineers at Defense Research Associates designed a specialized perching craft for the Air Force. The Devil Ray can cruise at 42 mph, but its upside-down, turned-in winglets give it stability at slow speeds. The MAV&amp;#039;s precise control is needed to snag power lines with a custom-made latch. Perched like a raven, the Devil Ray then tops off its energy with an induction-based recharger. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a5489/awesome-tiny-planes/>