I've got a thing for personal aircraft.
The US department of defense has a thing for autonomous surveillance aircraft. They've sponsored a college contest to make one.
Previous work:
- swivel-wing bomber from Grumman
- The old moller car. Cool-looking but seems relatively inefficient (www.moller.com)
- The cartercopter
- FCS-1 from labiche aerospace is probably the coolest if it works but it's not clear (to me) how it lands robustly.
- Burt Rutan designs amazing ultra-light efficient original aircraft
- Challenger Ultralight is a canadian company making a light plane that can carry two people (450Kg takeoff mass) and fly between 40 and 150 km/h. This (allegedly) super popular plane has been sold for like 15 years and costs just $25k. (/)
- life and exploits of Brian Rutan... there's also a recent documentary on his winning the X-Prize for commercializeable low-cost space travel.