Project number
16081
Organization
AIAA Student Chapter
Academic year
2016-2017
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, or AIAA, sets requirements for student teams around the world to design, build and fly small, high-performance, remotely controlled aircraft and enter them in its international aircraft design competition.
Teams are scored on their design report and competition performance. Aircraft requirements this year include the ability to carry a payload of hockey pucks and fly around a track specified by AIAA; aircraft also need to fold and fit inside a launch tube for storage and protection.
The team opted for a high, straight-winged monoplane with a U-tail empennage and pod-and-boom fuselage configuration. The aircraft uses composite materials to minimize weight and increase performance. The wings fold and stack on top of each other and the tail booms telescope into the fuselage to allow for packing in the tube. Numerous numerical, ground and flight tests were done to validate and improve the design before the competition date.
Teams are scored on their design report and competition performance. Aircraft requirements this year include the ability to carry a payload of hockey pucks and fly around a track specified by AIAA; aircraft also need to fold and fit inside a launch tube for storage and protection.
The team opted for a high, straight-winged monoplane with a U-tail empennage and pod-and-boom fuselage configuration. The aircraft uses composite materials to minimize weight and increase performance. The wings fold and stack on top of each other and the tail booms telescope into the fuselage to allow for packing in the tube. Numerous numerical, ground and flight tests were done to validate and improve the design before the competition date.