91Ƶ

09 November 2020

Have you ever dreamt of building your own aircraft? That’s exactly what students taking the master’s programme in aeronautical engineering have been doing for the past seven weeks. Well – in any case – they’ve been building a remote-controlled prototype of an aircraft.

two model airplanes built by students at Linköping University
Photographer: Teiksma Buseva

On a misty October morning, we meet 29 students gathered on an airfield outside Linköping. Together with teacher David Lundström, they are here to test the planes they have built. Some students have been working up to the last minute, fine-tuning their model far into the night. We can feel excitement and nervousness in the air.

Prototype Realization is a project-based course during which master’s students are tasked with building a remote-controlled prototype of an aircraft. It is a direct continuation of a course in Aircraft Conceptual Design in which they carried out the fundamental design and analysis of their craft.

David Lundström is course supervisor and describes how the course links theory and practical work.

“It’s one thing to draw up a conceptual design that looks good on the drawing board. It’s much more challenging to get it to fly. Our students find this out for themselves on this course.”

The students received seven weeks and around 2000 Swedish kronor to build the aircraft. Working under restrictions of both time and money is useful training for their future careers as engineers. The students also learn about working with modern prototyping tools, such as 3D printing, CNC machining and laser cutting.

Translation: George Farrants

Student stories

Read more about Master's Programme Aeronautical Engineering

Latest news from LiU

Fewer back problems with BetterBack

Most backs protest at least at once in a lifetime. Movement is often the best help. Therefore, researchers and physiotherapists in healthcare have developed a model of care “BetterBack (BättreRygg)”, which has now attracted international attention.

A man and a woman standing on a rock beside a pond.

How property owners can work to prevent flooding

The risk of heavy rainfall and severe flooding increases with climate change. But property owners  often underestimate their own responsibility. In a new scientific article, researchers from LiU show how the can go about the preventive work.

Portrait (Gustaf Hendeby).

Blurred borders between civilian and military

A tense political situation in the world, a war in Europe and an everyday life with increasing threats to our security – what do the researchers do? More than you might think and there will be even more. Defence research is more active than ever.