Aerospace Projects

EDF Flying Wing

In my 12th-grade woodshop course, I spent my second-semester modeling and developing a basic flying wing project to build and hopefully get flying by the end of the year. During the course of the project, I taught myself how to use AutoCAD for smooth 3D modeling, and the limitations of it compared to 3D design software, then later learned CFD using the free online program SimScale.

I attempted to design the wing shape around experimental Prandtl wing designs, but in early models, I was not able to create the small changes needed using the tools available in my shop, but if I were to repeat it I would use a laser cutter to create the wing shape elements rather than a bandsaw. The project is currently unfinished but will hopefully be completed soon once I can dedicate more time and correct tools for the project. I also would like to revise my design and CFD with the knowledge I have gained since designing it.

SimScale Project Link: SimScale.com

AutoCAD Model: Google Drive DWG File

Flying Graduation Cap

In the two weeks proceeding my high school graduation, I decided to make my graduation cap design be a quadcopter that I could fly off my head at the cap toss. I have had experience since I was a kid with remote control helicopters and planes, but never a proper quadcopter, so I took this as an opportunity to learn both how to build one up, and how to program it.

The base of the quad is a simple 12" x 12" piece of acrylic that is just strong enough to withstand the force of the rotors at each end and for the color which I chose after trying out multiple plastics. In AutoCAD, I sketched a base design that allowed the rotors to sit just over the edge of the cap's corners. The rest of the build was going to my local hobby shop and putting together a parts list and completely overbuilding this quad for its 5 minutes of glory.

I then used Betaflight to program the quad and did tests with no cap attached to learn how the quad would behave. There was one crash that resulted in a snapped arm but a replacement base was quickly laser cut. At graduation, the hat was a success and took off at the cap toss after many hours of having the massive remote tucked away and varying looks from my high school teachers.

PDF of Base: Google Drive PDF File

Below is the video of the hat toss at 1:48:11, and my quad can be seen at 1:48:50.