Micro Aircraft Competition Design

The goal of this project was to design and construct a remote controlled aircraft as an entry in the Micro Class of the 2013 SAE Aero Design West Competition. To succeed at the competition, the plane had to be as light as possible, carry a high payload fraction, and be stowed in a box with interior dimensions of 24″x18″x8″. The final design is a flying wing that has a wingspan of 88 centimeters, weighs 0.4 pounds, and is capable of carrying a payload of over 600 grams. The aircraft was assembled using a jig, which allowed for rapid construction and minimized construction flaws. By combining detailed analysis of aerodynamics, structures, and materials with flight testing, the team developed a refined aircraft that placed WPI in the 4th position out of 29 universities, and in the 1st position amongst US teams at the SAE Aero Design West 2013 competition.

You can see our project presentation and flight test videos below, or read the full report.