Introduction: Flying Forward with Purpose
Hey DesignSpark! We’re Team Bath Drones, a student-led group from the University of Bath, taking part in the iMechE UAS Challenge 2025. After finishing 2nd in Europe last year, we’ve come back more determined than ever to claim the top spot. We're feeling stronger than ever with the support from our incredible sponsors, including RS Components.
This challenge pushes us to apply everything we’ve learnt as engineering students. We’re building a fully autonomous fixed-wing UAS capable of performing complex delivery missions, and learning (a lot) along the way.
Project Overview: Reaching New Heights
The UAS Challenge is a high-level test of multidisciplinary engineering skills. The mission: design, build, and fly a UAS that can autonomously deliver a payload and navigate a course with precision.
We approached this year’s competition with a refined goal: improve performance while staying sustainable, cost-efficient, and creative.
Development Process: Building Better Wings
A big part of our innovation this year is in the wing design and manufacturing process. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in building high-performance, lightweight, and sustainable structures using a flax composite skin.
Here’s a quick breakdown of our original approach:
- CNC-machined MDF pattern for the wing base
- Carbon fibre moulds created for top and bottom skins
- Open wet-laying of the flax composite, vacuum bagged and cured at room temperature
- Mechanical bonding of cured skins with ribs and spars inside the mould for alignment
However, when we shared this with industry experts, we received invaluable feedback:
“Carbon fibre moulds are overkill for a room-temperature wet lay-up. The Uni-Mould system would be a better fit. You’ll also want to treat the MDF with Pattern Coat Primer and a high-gloss finish before moulding.”
They also suggested we:
- Design interlocking, two-part split moulds for better alignment and ease of curing
- Reuse existing resources instead of over-engineering (a trap we admittedly fell into!)
We’ve since revised our tooling plan to better match the manufacturing method, proof that engineering is all about making mistakes and learning from experience.
Team Growth and Goals
This year’s build has also seen our society grow. More students are joining, bringing fresh energy and skills.
The RS Student Fund has been instrumental in accelerating our progress this year. With their financial support, we were able to order essential components and materials for both our prototype and final UAS much earlier than in previous years. This early start has allowed us to begin manufacturing and testing ahead of schedule, giving us more time for refinement and ultimately increasing our chances of achieving even greater results in this year's competition.
Challenges and What We’ve Learned
We’re not afraid to admit that we’ve made a few missteps:
- Over-spec’d materials (carbon fibre moulds that didn’t match our curing method)
- Time pressure during term time
- Overlooking tooling finishes, which we now know can make or break a mould
But thanks to industry advice, society collaboration, and trial/error, we’ve gained:
- More efficient processes
- Better material planning
- A stronger, smarter team
Results and Impact So Far
- Wings produced with lighter, greener flax skins
- More precise moulding through updated tooling strategy
- Broader engagement in our team, with mechanical, electrical, and aero students working in sync
- A strong, tested UAV ready for the 2025 challenge
The RS support hasn’t just helped us buy gear, it’s helped us build confidence.
Conclusion: Join the Flight Crew
To fellow students: if you’ve ever thought “I wish we could build something real,” this is your sign. Enter the competition. Start the build. Ask questions. Fail fast. Share often.
We’re grateful to DesignSpark and RS Components for amplifying our journey and we can’t wait to see what you all create next!
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