2025 US Competition
Our Latest Competition Excellence
Overview
In 2025, Purdue SAE Aero participated in the SAE Aero Design US competition, showcasing our continued excellence in aerospace engineering. This competition was the result of months of dedicated work, innovative design, and advanced manufacturing techniques.
Key Highlights
Competition Participation
Competed against teams from universities across the United States in the SAE Aero Design competition.
Advanced Design
Implemented cutting-edge aerospace engineering principles and innovative design solutions.
Team Excellence
Demonstrated strong teamwork, technical skills, and dedication throughout the competition.
Flight Operations
Successfully completed flight missions showcasing our aircraft's capabilities.
Technical Specifications
- Wingspan: 8.5 feet
- Empty Weight: 6.2 lbs
- Max Payload: 18 lbs
- Propulsion: Electric motor with custom prop
- Materials: Carbon fiber composite fuselage and wings
- Flight Time: 12 minutes on single battery
Team Reflections
The 2025 US competition was a testament to our team's dedication and innovation. Our team demonstrated strong technical skills and collaboration throughout the design, build, and competition phases. The experience provided valuable lessons that will enhance our future competitions.
First Test Flight
The first test flight... the aircraft flew, just not how we expected to. This initial attempt taught us valuable lessons about aircraft stability and control systems that would prove crucial for our competition success.
Competition Performance
At the competition, the aircraft performed significantly better, demonstrating the improvements made from our testing phase. Key learnings from this experience include giving aeroelasticity a strong consideration in future designs and setting up a better timeline for development and testing phases.