Who are we?

At Drone Team Twente we are trying to push the boundaries of autonomous drone technology. Our mission is to develop cutting-edge drones that can tackle real-world challenges, from search and rescue operations to medical deliveries. As fellow student engineers, we understand the thrill of innovation and problem-solving. Our success is measured by technological advancements, competition performance, and the growth of our team’s expertise.This year, with RS's support, we're thrilled to launch new projects focused on enhancing flight performance and efficiency all whilst having a great time along the way!

What is The UAS IMechE Challenge

The UAS IMechE Challenge is a student competition by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, focused on designing and operating autonomous drones for real-world missions. Teams develop a UAS with strong engineering, autonomy, and manufacturing capabilities, tackling tasks like payload delivery and data gathering. The competition includes design reviews, flight tests, and presentations, evaluating innovation, efficiency, and performance. It’s a hands-on challenge preparing students for their careers in aerospace and robotics.

What are our goals for this year's team? Innovating today, elevating tomorrow

DroneTeam Twente’s goals for this year are designing and building an autonomous drone for the UAS Challenge. This year, our focus is on enhancing flight efficiency, navigation precision, and payload capacity. A key highlight of our design is our tricopter configuration, which offers improved manoeuvrability and efficiency over traditional quadcopters. Additionally, we specialize in 3D-printed drones, utilizing advanced additive manufacturing techniques to create lightweight yet robust components.

Production and materials

DroneTeam Twente follows a structured process to design and build high-performance drones each year. The development begins with research and design, using CAD modelling and CFD simulations to create an efficient and lightweight airframe. Materials like carbon fibre and 3D-printed polymers ensure durability while keeping weight minimal.

During manufacturing, components are 3D-printed, and assembled with precision. Electronic systems, including motors, sensors, and custom PCBs, are integrated to optimize performance. Extensive ground and flight testing follow, where the drone’s stability, endurance, and autonomy are fine-tuned based on real-world data.

Once optimized, the drone is deployed for competitions and demonstrations, showcasing its advanced capabilities. With each yearly cycle, the new team builds upon past innovations, improving design, efficiency, and performance. This continuous development process allows DroneTeam Twente to push technological boundaries and remain competitive in the field of autonomous aerial systems.

The Challenges that we have faced

Throughout development, we followed an iterative cycle of designing, testing, and refining to enhance our drone’s performance. One of the key areas of focus was optimizing aerodynamics, ensuring that our tricopter design minimized drag while maximizing stability. By leveraging computational fluid dynamics simulations, we identified areas for improvement and fine-tuned the drone’s structure accordingly.

Our tricopter design presented unique challenges in flight stability and control. Unlike traditional quadcopters, which rely on symmetric motor configurations, our tricopter requires precise coordination between the tilt mechanism and motor outputs. We spent months fine-tuning the flight controller and adjusting the servo movements to achieve smooth transitions between hovering and forward flight. This involved multiple real-world test flights where we carefully analyzed flight data to optimize responsiveness and stability.

To ensure that our drone could withstand demanding conditions, we subjected it to rigorous structural integrity tests. This included evaluating how our 3D-printed components performed under various stress conditions, from high-speed manoeuvres to controlled crash landings. These tests provided critical insights, helping us reinforce key areas without unnecessary weight penalties.

Additionally, RS has played a crucial role in supporting our project by providing high-quality electronic components and tools, helping us enhance the reliability and precision of our drone’s systems. With their support, we were able to integrate high-performance sensors, robust power distribution systems, and efficient motor controllers, ensuring that our drone could operate with increased precision and reliability. Their contributions have been invaluable in refining our control systems and making our drone more responsive to real-world flight conditions.

Results and Impact so far?

Our innovations have led to remarkable achievements, including improved autonomous navigation, increased flight efficiency, and successful integration of 3D-printed components into a high-performance UAV. These advancements bring us closer to competing at the highest level while showcasing the potential of drone technology in real-world applications. The support from our sponsors and universities has been instrumental in our success, allowing us to invest in better technology and testing facilities. RS’s contributions have particularly strengthened our electrical and control systems, giving us a competitive edge in precision and reliability.

Conclusion

DroneTeam Twente is a testament to what student engineers can achieve when passion meets innovation. We encourage fellow students to pursue ambitious projects, embrace challenges, and seek collaboration. Whether you’re interested in aerospace, robotics, or AI, there’s a place for you in the future of autonomous technology. Our expertise in tricopter drones and 3D-printed UAVs sets us apart, and we hope to inspire others to explore new design possibilities. With the continued support of industry partners like RS, we are confident in pushing the boundaries of drone technology even further.

What challenges have you faced in your engineering projects? Share your thoughts and experiences with us! Follow Drone Team Twente on our social media and stay updated on our latest developments. We’d love to hear from you and feature your insights in our community discussions.

Stay inspired, keep innovating, and let’s shape the future together!

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7th March 2025