ShadX team from the Aerospace Engineering Department of Sharif University of Technology is honored at the top of the list of Graduate Team Aircraft Design Competition organized by AIAA. This is the third year student teams from Shairf University of Technology are partaking in AIAA competitions and are being placed in the list of top teams. However, this is the first time three teams from Sharif are the number one teams at 3 competitions.
ShadX wins this position with their design named Speritcho (meaning swallow bird in Kermani dialect). Sharifi teams are eager to participate in these kind of competitions in order to evaluate what they learn at their university when judged and compared according to international and high-level standards.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) was for the structural design of a four passenger, VTOL taxi. There is recent interest in a small, VTOL capable vehicle to serve as an on-demand taxi for use within urban environments. Designing a safe, robust, and reliable structure for such a vehicle with potentially high cyclic loading is necessary. Given the operation within the urban environment, noise generation and abatement are critical design factors. Also, safety features such as rotor enclosures to protect against blade separation are necessary.
ShadX’s proposal gave details of an 8-engine aircraft whose 4 engines are capable of changing the direction for a vertical take-off and landing. In the first five years of Spertcho’s operation, it is designed to carry a pilot and three passengers. These five years are actually the training and learning time for the VTOL and after this period the aircraft will fly with 4 passengers without needing a pilot. The maximum takeoff weight is 1950 kg and the length and height are respectively 7.6 and 3.6 m. The aircraft is designed to fly at altitudes of 1500, 2500 and 3500 with a maximum 100 miles of board.