This is our team's journey of designing, building, and flying a plane for the SAE Drone Design Challenge 2023. Our primary objective was to create a lightweight, efficient, and innovative folding wing capable of lifting 1000 grams while maintaining a thrust-to-weight ratio below 1
Through dedication and innovation, we proudly secured 1st place in the Innovation category under the Micro Class Plane at SAE DDC.
Fabrication
We designed and built our plane using balsa wood, as carbon fiber was prohibited in the competition. To reinforce the wings, we used 16mm hollow aluminum tubes as spars. For structural integrity, we incorporated 22 ribs, each spaced 6cm apart, ensuring an even distribution of load and reducing the risk of wing damage during harsh landings, and covered the plane using Monokote.
We used an EMAX 9-gram servo motor and a T-Motor AS-Series motor, as the latter allowed us to mount the motor inside the fuselage while providing the required thrust for our plane using a 3S battery pack. To keep the plane lightweight, we opted for a 1000mAh 50C 3S battery, as the competition required the plane to fly for only 5 minutes.
Wing Folding Mechanism
To achieve a foldable wing design, I utilized a commercially available Butt/Mortise Hinge, which I then modified using an hacksaw blade to suit the specific requirements of the plane. One end of the hinge was attached to a 9mm aluminum tube, while the other end was firmly secured to the root of the wing, as shown in the image.
Additionally, I implemented a lever-type locking mechanism. This mechanism allows the folded wing to be securely locked into position with the wing root, ensuring structural stability during flight and ease of folding when needed. This innovative solution allowed us to achieve a practical and reliable folding wing design.
Wing Assembly
Flight Round
In July 2023, during our flight round, we successfully carried an 800-gram payload with our plane. Since our team lacked extensive experience in flying a fixed-wing aircraft, we opted to use the pilot provided by SAE for the flight.
Fabrication Video
Full flying video
Flight Controller
Autonomous Flight Projects
Here are some of my autonomous projects using the Pixhawk and Jivi K++ flight controllers, ranging from fixed-wing to quadcopter and hexacopter designs. Click to explore further details.
