This book provides a comprehensive exploration of UAV technology, covering design principles, development methodologies, and applications across various domains. It addresses aerodynamic foundations, propulsion systems, control systems, avionics, and industry applications.

• Provides an in-depth exploration of nature-inspired computing and blockchain integration, making it highly relevant for addressing modern unmanned aerial vehicle challenges.

• Showcases unmanned aerial vehicle technology as a tool for energy-efficient and sustainable solutions across multiple domains, meeting the demands of an evolving technological landscape.

• Includes case studies that demonstrate unmanned aerial vehicle applications in precision agriculture, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.

• Explores emerging trends, such as predictive modeling for unmanned aerial vehicle system failures and integrating secure data transmission techniques with soft computing.

• Discusses reducing the unmanned aerial vehicle environmental footprint with energy-efficient technologies.

The text is primarily written for senior undergraduates, graduate students, and academic researchers in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, aerial robotics, electrical engineering, and electronics engineering.

Kaushik Kumar is currently working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, India. He has twenty-two years of teaching and research Experience. His research interests include composites, optimization, non-conventional machining, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and quality management systems. He has published more than two hundred research papers in peer-reviewed, reputed national and international journals.

Chikesh Ranjan is currently serving as a Project Engineer for Project SwaYaan – Capacity Building in Drone/UAS at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India. With more than nine years of teaching and research experience, his areas of teaching and research interest include composites, non-conventional machining, CAD/CAM, Drone Technology, and robotics. He is a proud member of the Institution of Engineers, India, and has received 7 prestigious awards and honors for his remarkable contributions to the field of Mechanical Engineering. He has published research papers in journals and conferences.

Balaji P.S. is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India, with a PhD in vibration control from Curtin University, Australia. With over six years of teaching and research experience, his expertise lies in vibration control, nonlinear dynamics, and drone technology. He has also made significant contributions to academia, with numerous publications in reputed journals, authorship of conference proceedings, and book chapters. He holds two patents in the field of vibration control, showcasing his innovative approach to solving complex engineering challenges.