Summary

This two-quarter capstone project focused on the development of a compact, remote-controlled aircraft that combines the best of two flight systems: the efficiency of fixed-wing airplanes and the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities of drones. Traditional airplanes are efficient in forward flight but require runways, while multirotor drones can take off and land anywhere but have limited range and flight time.

Our solution was a two-foot wingspan Tiltwing VTOL aircraft, designed to transition smoothly between vertical and forward flight. In addition to achieving stable and reliable transitions, the aircraft was engineered to carry a 1-pound payload and had a maximum flight time of 20 minutes, making it ideal for missions that require both payload capabilities, versatility, and endurance.

How did we build it?

We started off the first quarter with a 50% scale model to test different wing and fuselage designs and become familiar with all our electronics and flight controller software, Ardupilot.

The following quarter in spring 2025, the full scale prototype was designed and manufactured.

After multiple weeks of debugging and hover testing, our aircraft was able to hover with satisfactory stability.

However, due to the limited time frame of 2 quarters or ~20 weeks, Project Helicraft did not make it to transition and cruise mode testing.