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Aircraft Design
Student Activities: NASA/DLR Challenge & Aircraft Design Course
In 2016, DLR & NASA initiated the first student aircraft
design challenge, asking for innovative concepts address-
ing two distinct areas of aviation: (1) low noise subsonic
airliners, (2) new generation supersonic transport aircraft.
At TUM three teams were formed; two addressing the
low noise subsonic aircraft and one team coming up with
a proposal for a next generation supersonic airliner. In
Germany seven universities participated, also competing
with the American counterparts supported by NASA. The
winner of the first DLR & NASA challenge is a TUM team
with three aeronautical students. Their concept of a novel
URBANLINER concept utilizing enhanced propulsion
technologies in very close interaction with enhanced
aerodynamics of the wing convinced the evaluators of
DLR & NASA. The team worked very enthusiastically on
their concept and came up with very innovative solutions.
Aircraft Design Course: Design and Fly an aircraft within
one semester – The use of additive manufacturing, a kit-
like set of common components, as well as the applica-
tion of well-proven, off-the-shelf radio control equipment,
finally makes it possible. Simulating a real customer, the
students of the Winter Semester 2016/17 were challenged
by a request for proposal, which asked for a 1m wingspan
unmanned aircraft, tasked to perform the best endurance
as well as the best range with a given lithium-polymer
battery. The students formed two competing teams, which
finally proved the airworthiness of their designs in Febru-
ary 2017.
Aircraft Design Course: The Students with their Winning Canard-Configura-
tion (Philipp Gieler)
First Place DLR & NASA challenge:
the URBANLINER concept of the
TUM student team