Aerial flyers in nature utilize strain sensing to monitor forces in real time, crucial for navigating through wind disturbances and obstacles during flight. While micro air vehicles (MAVs) typically utilize vision and airflow sensing [1], [2], the potential of strain sensing remains relatively unexplored, despite the abundance of available solutions crafted via advanced microfabrication techniques. After surveying available techniques in the literature, we introduce a streamlined fabrication process for rapid prototyping of strain gauges that requires a minimal set of low-cost tools, suitable for roboticists with limited microfabrication experience or resources. To showcase the effectiveness of our method, two kinds of strain gauges (with ginkgo-leaf-inspired patterns and conventional meander patterns) are integrated on a pair of flapping wings to monitor the wing deformation during flapping cycles. We aim to inspire researchers in aerial robotics to incorporate this lightweight and affordable strain-sensing technology to enhance flight navigation and control, opening new avenues for lightweight autonomy and intelligence. @en