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The UMass Aeronautics Team is an undergraduate student competition team of the University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Engineering.

Each year, we compete in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Design, Build, Fly (DBF) International Competition. The competition requires team’s to design, manufacture, and fly an optimized aircraft capable of performing commercial, welfare, and military missions.

We’re a team composed of 25-30 freshman to senior undergraduate students who apply our classroom knowledge to real-world problems in the aviation, UAV, and VTOL industries. Our project provides hands-on aeronautics experience to UMass Amherst’s MIE department and helps prepare students for these rapidly growing industries. Join us for the chance to gain practical engineering experience and develop essential skills.

DESIGN: The team uses the engineering design process to design, analyze, and optimize the aircraft for each mission using programs and software’s like SOLIDWORKS, MATLAB, and ANSYS.

By applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, we provide a unique opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of these software programs and utilize them at an advanced level.

BUILD: After completing the design process, UMass Aeronautics Team utilizes rapid prototyping techniques such as 3D-printing, laser cutting, and hot-wire cutting to create initial prototypes of our aircraft. These prototypes are then constructed using lightweight, high-strength materials ranging from wood and composites, to cutting edge 3D printing materials. Our team tests and redesigns the aircraft multiple times before the competition to ensure optimal performance.

FLY: Following rigorous testing and practice runs, the UMass Aeronautics Team travels to either Tucson, Arizona or Wichita, Kansas to participate in the AIAA DBF Competition. The competition involves performing a series of ground and flight missions, which are then scored and compared against other universities worldwide.

Join Us at the Northampton Airport (7B2) on May 6th for a Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast. There will be breakfast food, live music, intro-flight raffles and lots of laughs & stories!