Sun Mao (1955.8—) is a professor and PhD supervisor of the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering of Beihang University. He was awarded the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars in 1997, and selected as a distinguished professor of the Chang Jiang Scholars Program in 2000.

He received his doctor’s degree from Princeton University in 1983 and completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1985. He enjoys the special government allowance from the State Council of China.

At present, his research focuses on bioinspired fluid mechanics, providing micro aerial vehicles with new concepts of aerodynamic configuration and control methods derived from animal flight. His work covers the aerodynamic and flow properties of animals (insects like flies and bees as well as small birds and bats) under typical flight conditions, new propulsion mechanisms and methods of control and stability augmentation of animal flight, the mechanism of high lift and principles of control of maneuvering flight, the high lift in some special motion modes, etc.

His achievements in bioinspired fluid mechanics, flow control and complex flow of rotor wings have been internationally recognized. He revealed the three mechanisms of the high lift in insect fight, which was his most remarkable work and introduced by the Journal of Experimental Biology. He has published more than 90 papers in international journals and given invited speeches at domestic and international conferences for many times.