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The aerospace industry is among the fastest-growing industries worldwide. In 2024, the market size was estimated at 373.6 billion USD and is projected to double by 2034.

At Queen's Aerospace Design Team (QADT), we are dedicated to pushing boundaries with the development of high performance & autonomous UAVs for national and international competitions in Canada, Europe, and the United States. With the continued growth in industry aerospace applications in recent years, QADT has seen an unparalleled expansion, and our dedicated team of more than 150 undergraduate students has not disappointed.

Last year, the technical team developed 2 brand new UAVs from the ground up to compete at the AEAC 2025 student competition hosted in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Including a fully carbon fiber fixed wing aircraft with a two-axis gimbal to find and map wildfires, as well as a heavy-lift quadcopter designed to pick-up and drop-off water for autonomous fire extinguishing. While in parallel, the QADT research team wrote two research papers for submission to the IMAV conference paper call and the VFS student design competition. Respectively, these papers focused on the application of DBD plasma actuators to reattach airflow separation and a hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft design to maximize loitering time.

This year, we are going even further with new designs and initiatives as we prepare to expand our technical capabilities and compete in not just the AEAC 2026 student competition, but also the AIAA Design, Build, Fly competition hosted in Wichita, KS, while continuing to publish bleeding edge research papers.

QADT offers a unique opportunity for development and growth for students in any discipline, including gaining technical experience in Aeromechanics, Electrical, and Software, and the opportunity to conduct research in a variety of unique fields, as well as the chance to gain experience in business and management. QADT is looking to continue its rapid growth and expansion by taking on like-minded and motivated individuals to not just continue the development of advanced drone technology, but push the boundaries of what student teams are capable of.

We eagerly await your application.

Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible.'

Eddie Rickenbacker, WWI flying ace

James Gullberg

Mechatronics & Robotics Engineering 27

Max Dizy

Mechatronics & Robotics Engineering 25

Robin Krasinkiewicz

Engineering Physics 27

In many ways, research on QADT will become one of the main driving forces of our operations and plans. The goal of the VTOL Prototyping sub-team is to develop innovative Vertical Take-Off and Landing designs to compete in the annual Vertical Flight Society's Design Competition. Each year the team will take on new project specifications to advance VTOL aircraft technology.

In 2024, the VTOL Prototyping sub team designed a hydrogen fuel-cell powered aircraft to maximize loitering time. This project focused on applying computational fluid dynamics simulation software, customized algorithms, and advice from industry experts to write a research paper for VFS 2025. The team has laid a strong foundation for the future and look to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

QADT aims to develop the VTOL Prototyping sub-team by providing industry opportunities and connections as well as providing CFD and publication software training. As part of the executive team, the VTOL Prototyping Manager leads and oversees all Enhancement sub team operations. The VTOL Prototyping Manager will work with the Research Director and Enhancement Manager while directly coordinating with QADT Captains.

The Director of Research can expect to gain skills in the areas of:

• Project Management

• CAD Software

• Research Paper Publication

Application & Interview Details

We do not look at your resume as a deciding factor. We weigh it the least compared to your written application and interview.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: May 11th, 2025 (11:59 PM EST)

Interviews will occur online after the deadline. We are happy to provide accommodations for these interviews, so please reach out to us and let us know how we can make the process more accessible for you!

Contact Information

Please email any questions or concerns to aero @engsoc.queensu.ca or text @queensaero on Instagram!