Our Design Process
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"Flight is the only truly new sensation that men have achieved in modern history" -James Dickey
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Three Phase Process
Design
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Manufacturing
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Flight
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Design Phase
During the design phase, sub-teams use CAD software to design each of their components. Students also learn to use FEA and CFD software to test their designs. Designs evolve over the course of the fall semester, and are presented in three different design reviews; conceptual, preliminary and critical. After the critical design review, teams start the manufacturing phase.
Manufacturing Phase
During the manufacturing phase, sub-teams meet regularly to construct the plane. Individual pieces are cut using a laser cutter and a scroll saw. Students have the opportunity to learn how to use large manufacturing equipment, such as a waterjet and bandsaw, at our machine shop at Lacy Hall.
Flight Phase
During the flight phase, sub-teams integrate the plane and prepare it for flight. The plane is test flown several times before competition at an airfield near UVA. The flight stage is critical for obtaining data on how to improve future iterations of the plane before competition.
Sub-teams
During recruitment, students are divided into sub-teams of their choice! Sub-teams are led by experienced leads who can teach them design and manufacturing methods. Although we do divide students into individual sub-teams, we encourage everyone to learn from every team.
Systems and Integration
Our systems team is responsible for using theoretical principles to determine the most optimal configuration of the plane. The team uses an iterative method in MATLAB and CFD software to determine the fuselage geometry. The systems team also leads integration during the design process to ensure that construction occurs smoothly.
Structures
Three sub-teams make up the structures team: Fuselage, wing, and tail. These teams have an emphasis on design and manufacturing of aircraft structures and utilize programs such as Solidworks and ANSYS to produce structural models.
Propulsion and Avionics |
This team is responsible for determining the best motor and propellor to use on the aircraft to generate the greatest thrust. During the design and early construction phase, the propulsions team develops a test matrix and runs motor tests on a thrust stand. This team is also responsible for sizing servos for control surfaces and connecting controls to the receiver for flight.
Operations
This team is responsible for various management tasks including budgeting, fundraising, and sponsor relations. This team is also responsible for social media connections and maintaining the website.