SAE AERO Regular
May 2022 - April 2023
Structures and Material Science team
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The objective of this year's SAE AERO Regular class competition was to design an aircraft that maximizes payload weight and wingspan. As a structures member, I designed and optimized the separable wing connectors, spar layout, and empennage.
What
18 ft wingspan heavy lift aircraft
Maximize payload capacity
Minimize empty weight
Maintain >1.5 FOS
Separable into 4 ft sections
Motor limited to 750 W
How
Solid Modeling
Structural Optimization
Hand calculations, Python scripts, ANSYS Mechanical, destructive testing
Design for Manufacturing
Exploratory and Iterative Design
reduced wing connector assembly time by 80% by implementing Design for Assembly principles
Reduced empennage weight by 33% by aligning the wood grain direction with loading direction in the internal truss structure
Laser cutting, 3D printing, foam cutting, etc.
Jigs to ensure dimensional accuracy
Results
Empty weight: 21.5 lb
Payload: 33.5 lb
1st of 37 at SAE AERO West competition
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