COMPETITIONS
AIR CARGO CHALLENGE 20 22
The ACC 2022 in Munich was the team's first experience.
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Pluto, the first drone built by the team, emerged from the ashes left by the COVID-19 pandemic, going through many design and construction difficulties due to the situation and the scarcity of funds available.
The team faced and overcame every obstacle and achieved the remarkable result of completing 3 valid flights in the competition.
REGULATIONS
The regulations constrained the dimensions of the model aircraft through limits on the footprint and the size of the drone components once disassembled and stored in the transport box.
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It also set the propulsion system and electronic components to be used, with the aim of completing a 180 s flight during which the goal was to maximize the distance covered and the payload transported.
PREPARATION
The team was established in December 2020 and had a year and a half to complete the drone project.
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Meetings mostly took place on online platforms, which significantly slowed down the development.
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Therefore, opting for simplicity in design was almost obligatory, and the aircraft's construction proceeded using proven, straightforward techniques, primarily employing balsa wood, some composite pieces, and others made through 3D printing.
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Wing and tail structure made of balsa wood. Carbon fiber tube to connect the tail to the wing and cargo bay.
Wing and tail structure made of balsa wood. Carbon fiber tube to connect the tail to the wing and cargo bay.
Cargo bay entirely manufactured through 3D printing in collaboration with Experis Tech experts.
Wing and tail structure made of balsa wood. Carbon fiber tube to connect the tail to the wing and cargo bay.
THE DRONE
"Pluto" drone during flight tests.
Last airplane preparations before the official flights.
Our drone in the sky during the competition.
"Pluto" drone during flight tests.
Pluto has a very simple and robust design: it is a high-wing aircraft, rectangular in shape, with a T-tail.
The aerodynamic surfaces are connected by a carbon tube, which forms the "fuselage", divided roughly in half to comply with the constraints on the dimensions of the transport box.
The cargo bay was designed to be attached under the wing and sized to carry four 300 g bags.
RESULTS
With some difficulty on the first day of testing, the competition did not start off on the right foot.
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The tireless work of the team members allowed for a quick correction of these flaws, and in the following days, Pluto completed three flight tests, securing the 16th place out of a total of 27 participating teams.
