Overview
UBC AeroDesign is an engineering student team that designs, builds, and flies payload-lifting, radio-controlled fixed-wing airplanes to compete in the international SAE Aero Design Collegiate Series. The 2022 & 2023 Advanced Class competition featured a firefighting-inspired mission profile. As co-lead on the Advanced Airfoils Team, I help conduct airfoil analysis, design the 3D wing configuration, model the plane in CAD and size the structural components to meet the competition requirements. Personally, I am most invested in the aerodynamic analysis.
Design
- Modelled wing and tail components in SolidWorks, added to the plane assembly in PDM
- Optimized the plane wing and tail design through constraint analysis, static and dynamic stability simulation, and control surface sizing
- Configured the wing spar and other structures by selecting cross-section, material and dimensions for low weight and sufficient safety factor
Results
- The UBC Advanced Team earned 1st place in the 2023 competition technical presentation
- The UBC Advanced Team earned 5th place overall in the 2022 competition
The following videos were taken at competition in Texas - I did not personally take these videos but they are here anyways :)
SolidWorks render of the 2021-2022 UBC AeroDesign Advanced Class plane
SolidWorks Flow sim of rotational drag
A slide from the 2021-2022 Advanced Class technical presentation
The UBC AeroDesign 2022 Advanced Class plane at test flight
SolidWorks render of the 2022-2023 UBC AeroDesign Advanced Class plane
Dynamic stability behaviour of 2022-2023 UBC AeroDesign Advanced Class plane
