Structural Engineer

Subsystem Summary:

Structural and Aerodynamic excellence are the ingredients for a UAV’s successful flight.

Position Description:

Weight Determination:
Weight and Centre of Gravity Determination:
In the conceptual design phase, a first weight assessment takes place, with the implementation of analytical tools the created by the team. After the initial configuration is determined, a 3D CAD is created in order to get a more accurate prediction on what the air-vehicle’s weight and center of gravity will be, and to also give a first visualization. Thus, the simulation becomes easier for the next design steps.

Materials research and Selection:
During the conceptual design phase, the structural sub-team is also responsible for the selection of the materials the aircraft will be constructed from. For this to be achieved the sub-team performs a research on possible materials and their properties that can be used (mainly Composites), and chooses the material that suits theirs needs. Material strength but also the materials weight will have an impact on the performance of the aircraft.

CAD design – Assembly studies:
At this stage, a further and more detailed 3D CAD is required. The sub-team is tasked to study all possible and well-known methods for the assembly of the UAV parts, and then design them in a 3D CAD software (SolidWorks). This gives a more precise outlook of the UAV.

Structural analysis:
The sub-team predicts and analyses the UAV’s dynamic behavior. The members examine the air vehicle’s structural integrity and durability. They are tasked to analyze the individual segments by computational software utilizing the FEM (Finite element method) in order to be certain of the UAV’s durability and Structural integrity.

UAV Construction:
It’s the phase where everything comes to fruition. The members are expected to utilize known or develop methods of construction to fabricate the aircraft.

A new Structural member will deal with the following:

• Designing the aircraft in detail utilizing 3D CAD software (SolidWorks).
•  Performing the necessary structural analysis.
•  Material research.
•  Interacting with the other subsystems to optimally meet the mission requirements.

Preferred Skills:

• Static and Dynamic problem solving.
• Familiarity with programming platforms for arithmetic computations (MATLAB/Octave)
• Familiarity with a 3D design software (Solidworks, Inventor, Fusion 360)
• Experience with common and power tools
• Problem-solving skills
• Team player
• Eagerness and Enthusiasm