Belford D. Maule (1911–1995) designed his first aircraft, the M-1 starting at age 19. He founded the company Mechanical Products Co. in Napoleon, Michigan to market his own starter design.  In 1941 the B. D. Maule Co. was founded, and Maule produced tail wheels and fabric testers. In 1953 he began design work, and started aircraft production with the "Bee-Dee" M-4 in 1957.

The aircraft produced by Maule Air are tube-and-fabric designs and are popular with bush pilots, thanks to their very low stall speed, their tundra tires and oleo strut landing gear. Most Maules are built with tail wheel or amphibious configurations, although the newer MXT models have tricycle gear.   

The company is a family-owned enterprise. June Maule, widow of B. D. Maule, remained directly involved with factory production until her death in 2009 at the age of 92.