2017 Design/Build/Fly

The University of Kentucky (UK) Paducah Campus American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Student Section will be competing in the 2016-2017 AIAA International Design Build Fly (DBF) competition in Tucson, Arizona. The funding from the Team Fellowship would support all parts of the UK Paducah AIAA Student Section participating in this competition. The fellowship would largely fund the travel of the team and material costs for the plane. The basis for the competition this year is the simulation of tube launched aircraft. Mission parameters are given that simulate payload, folding wing, and landing requirements for these types of aircraft. Scoring is integrated into these mission parameters for teams to optimize their plane around. The teams must also submit a proposal and full design report for their aircraft. The teams with the top 100 proposals will be invited to submit a design report and enter the competition. Using the fellowship, the UK Paducah team will design an aircraft capable of completing all missions focused on simplicity, manufacturability, and durability. Rapid prototyping will be utilized to quickly test and refine the aircraft design. The team has access to a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer and a CO2 laser cutter.