Leaving Certificate Engineering

MODEL EVTOL

A design-and-make project focused on developing a model electric VTOL vehicle from brief analysis through concept development, manufacturing, and evaluation.

Completed🚁 EngineeringAerospace

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1. Analysis of Brief

The project began by extracting key constraints from the brief: an automatically opening door, a fuselage compartment, seating for two, minimum four turbines, fixed size limits, and low-voltage electrical power.

From these, secondary design questions were derived: cockpit visibility, passenger access, door actuation packaging, rotor arrangement, and how to preserve aerodynamic intent despite model-scale manufacturing limits.

[Brief analysis sketches, constraint map, and first ideation notes]

3. Selection & Mfg

The selected concept combined aerodynamic bodywork with workshop-ready methods. A lofted CAD hull was used to generate mold geometry for vacuum forming. Trial parts exposed heat-related warping in early tooling and required material/process changes.

Design-for-manufacture updates included improved mold support, release taper on vertical surfaces, and surface preparation to reduce print layer transfer onto formed parts.

[CAD hull and vacuum form tooling]

[Manufacturing trial outcomes]

5. Testing & Evaluation

Testing focused on process reliability, fit quality, and assembly repeatability. Iteration from failed or imperfect trials directly informed tooling changes, heating windows, and finishing methods.

Final evaluation considered both technical compliance with the brief and the quality of manufacture and documentation expected in a complete engineering portfolio.

[Testing evidence & comparisons]

[Final model evaluation photos]

2. Investigation

Existing eVTOL architectures were reviewed to compare trade-offs between stability, efficiency, and mechanical complexity. Concept work considered fixed-rotor configurations, vectored thrust systems, and drivetrain transfer ideas for distributing power.

Door mechanisms were also explored in parallel, including lead-screw based linear motion to meet the automatic opening requirement in a compact, model-friendly format.

[Existing solution research]

[Rotor & door mechanisms]

4. Assembly & Details

Body-to-structure joining was resolved with an internal support rim and mechanical fastening strategy. Window and windshield shaping were tested separately to improve conformity against curved geometry.

Where seamless transitions were difficult between formed components, visual detailing was used to make seams intentional and coherent with the design language of the final model.

[Assembly sequence & windshield forming]

6. Production Drawings

The portfolio concludes with production drawings and planning documents used to communicate dimensions, manufacturing sequence, and assembly intent across the full build.

[Production drawings & fabrication plans]

Project Ledger

Process & Workflows

Interpreting constraints and evaluating alternatives from a design brief
CAD lofting and vacuum forming mold generation
Design-for-manufacture constraints in low-voltage mechanics
Production documentation and orthographic drafting

Outcomes & Philosophy

Demonstrated an end-to-end engineering workflow
Emphasized practical decision-making and process control over purely aesthetic goals
Translated design intent into a robust physical model under real workshop conditions