The term micro air vehicle (MAV) refers to a new type of remotely controlled aircraft (UAV) that are significantly smaller than similar craft obtainable with the 2007 state of the art. The target dimension for mavs today is approximately six inches (15 centimeters) and development of insect-size aircraft is reportedly expected in the near future. Potential military use is one of the driving factors, although mavs are also being used commercially and in scientific, police and mapping applications. Because these aircraft are often in the same size range as radio-controlled models, they are increasingly within the reach of amateurs, who are making their own mavs for aerial robotics contests and aerial photography.

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