WashU Design/Build/Fly
Role
Co-President
Year
2024-2025
Team
WUDBF
Co-President Overview
As Co-President of WashU Design/Build/Fly, I led a 50-member team in designing and building a model aircraft for the international AIAA competition. My role involved overseeing six sub-teams, managing budgets, recruiting members, and fostering sponsor relationships, which strengthened my project management skills.
2024 Competition Flight Videos
Take off
Mid flight
Landing
Administrative Sub-Teams
This year, I established a Finance team to develop sponsorship packets and a resume book for securing sponsors, as well as a Graphic Design team, which created a new WUDBF logo and is producing branded materials like tri-fold posters, T-shirts, banners, and tablecloths for events and presentations. The Communications team manages WashU Design/Build/Fly's social media presence on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Technical Sub-Teams
The Design/Build/Fly team is divided into six specialized sub-teams, each focusing on key aspects of aircraft development. The Aerodynamics team handles exterior geometry and stability optimization using CFD analysis. The Structures team manages structural design and analysis through CAD and FEA. Manufacturing focuses on assembly and materials testing, while Avionics installs electrical components and programs flight controllers. Propulsion designs the propulsion system and conducts motor tests, leveraging tools like eCalc. Lastly, Simulation Development creates simulation tools using MATLAB, Simulink, and Python for sensitivity analysis.
Sponsors
WashU Design/Build/Fly is sponsored by SolidWorks. They support the team by providing personal licenses for CAD software.
Companies Involved
The AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition is supported by prominent companies such as Textron Aviation, Raytheon, AeroVironment, General Atomics Aeronautical, and MathWorks, along with financial backing from the AIAA Foundation. These sponsors play an essential role in funding and enabling the competition for student teams worldwide.
