Aero Senior Design
Mechanical
Engineering Department
Anagnost College of Engineering and Computer Science
California State
University Northridge
|
2025-2026 |
2024-2025 |
|
2023-2024 |
2022-2023 |
|
2021-2022 |
2020-2021 |
|
2019-2020 |
2018-2019 |
Project Overview and Mission Objectives
The Aero
Senior Design course is a hands-on capstone project offered by Mechanical
Engineering department that emphasizes the importance of educational values and
technology advances. The students design, manufacture, assemble, and test a
radio-controlled airplane, while applying engineering fundamentals, analytical
methods, and software tools. In this multidisciplinary project, sub-teams of
Aerodynamics, Structure, Avionics, and System-Integration work together to
achieve the project goals. In the first phase of the project, the focus is on
applying engineering principles to a comprehensive design effort utilizing
computer-aided design and analysis tools. In the second phase, students
manufacture, assemble, and test the designed primary aircraft along with its
supporting components. The design is refined through an iterative process,
leading to improved performance outcomes. In the final phase, the team
participates in various competitions, including International SAE Aero Design
Competition, CSUNPosium, and the College Senior
Design Project Showcase (SDPS).
The
current mission challenge (2024-2026) focuses on airborne package delivery.
This application represents a critical avenue for developing sustainable
logistics solutions while addressing key transportation challenges, including
traffic congestion and environmental impact. The team works on developing
airborne delivery systems with autonomous capabilities for real-world delivery
scenarios, for different transportation phases including takeoff, payload
delivery, navigation, retrieval, and landing. The design autonomy is aligned
with the current needs in industry and public to reduce human intervention,
while enhancing reliability and operational efficiency.
The
Aero Senior Design project provides an opportunity for students from different
departments (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and
Computer Science) to apply the fundamentals and knowledge they have acquired
during their undergraduate studies. Within the Aerodynamics sub-team, the
students utilize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools, semi-empirical
methods, and experimental tests to design the primary aircraft configuration,
while analyzing flow field characteristics, stability, and control. The
Structures sub-team is responsible for structural analysis, material selection,
manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing. The Avionics sub-team
focuses on flight control systems, data acquisition, tracking, autonomous operations,
computer vision, machine learning, target detection, and software development.
The Systems and Integration sub-team ensures effective coordination among all
sub-teams, conducts risk analysis, manages system integration, improves overall
performance, and ensures compliance with competition requirements.
Throughout
the project, students develop essential professional skills, including
teamwork, systematic design, and time, cost, and resource management. Over the
course of the two-semester sequence, students complete preliminary and critical
design reviews, prepare technical reports, and participate in competitions.
Similar to practicing engineers in industry, students take a project from
conceptual design through manufacturing and testing. This experience enhances
their understanding of engineering fundamentals, strengthens their ability to
address both technical and managerial challenges, and develops critical
communication skills.
Over
time, the Aero Senior Design project has undergone continuous improvement. It
also supports the Mechanical Engineering Department in meeting ABET
accreditation criteria by providing students with the experience of designing
and developing a complex engineering system. I am pleased that the Aero Senior
Design teams have successfully completed and showcased high-quality work over
the past several academic years, earning several prestigious awards in the
International SAE Aero Design Competition, CSUNPosium,
and the CSUN Senior Design Project Showcase (SDPS). For any questions or
additional information, please feel free to contact me.
Shadi
Mahjoob, PhD
Professor
Mechanical
Engineering Department
California
State University, Northridge
Email: shadi.mahjoob@csun.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2025 - Spring 2026
The 2025-26 Aero Senior design
team was a diverse team with 22 students from Mechanical Engineering,
Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science departments. The team
participated in the International SAE Aero Design West Competition which was
concluded in April 2026 in Texas. The SAE Aero Design Competition consists of
three classes: Micro, Regular, and Advanced. Our team competed in the Advanced
Class, which is the most challenging category of the competition, and earned
the following distinctions:
4th
Place in Flight Demonstration Readiness Review (FDRR) Presentation
4th
Place in Mission Performance
5th
Place Overall
in the Advanced Class of
International SAE Aero Design West Competition in 2026.
Our team competed
against 21 strong teams from the United States, Poland, Spain, China, India,
Canada, and Mexico. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the
competition provides students with a rigorous, industry-like experience featuring
high standards, demanding design requirements, and performance-driven
evaluations. The current mission challenge focuses on airborne package
delivery, a critical area for developing sustainable logistics solutions and
addressing transportation challenges such as traffic congestion and
environmental impact. The emphasis on autonomous design aligns closely with
current industry and public needs to reduce human intervention while improving
reliability and operational efficiency. During the competition, team members
also had valuable opportunities to engage with industry professionals,
receiving technical feedback, career guidance, and recognition for their work.
In addition, the team
participated in the 2026 SDPS and 2026 CSUNPosium,
where the students presented the engineering details of the project and
received:
Two 1st
Place Awards in 2026 CSUNPosium
On August 22, 2025, the team
showcased the project at the Grand
Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center at
CSUN.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
The 2024-25 Aero Senior
design team was a diverse team with 25 students from Mechanical Engineering,
Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science departments. The team
consists of subteams of Aerodynamics, Structure,
Avionics, and System & Integration. Our 2024-25 CSUN Aeronautics team was
awarded as the Top Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Team for Oral
Presentation at Senior Design Project Showcase (SDPS) Competition, organized by
the CSUN College of Engineering and Computer Science in May 2025. The team also
participated in 2025 International SAE Aero West Competition in the Advanced
Class and was placed 4th for Flight Demonstration Readiness Review (FDRR)
presentation. During the competition, the team members had the chance to
connect with industry professionals, gaining insights for improvements, career
advice, and recognition for their work. The team also presented the engineering
details of the project in 2025 CSUNPosium. We have
had a diverse team who collaborated well for the success of the team. It was
inspiring to see the dedication and involvement from every team member.
The team was awarded as the Top Mechanical Engineering
Senior Design Team for Oral Presentation at Senior Design Project Showcase
(SDPS) Competition. Congratulations to the team.
It is an honor that the Aero SD team captain (Gevork Gazdzhyan) was awarded as
the Top Undergraduate Student of Mechanical Engineering and 2024-2025 College
of Engineering and Computer Science Graduating Scholar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2023 - Spring 2024
The 2023-24 Aero Senior design team was a diverse team with 29 students
from Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer
Science departments. The team designed and manufactured an innovative
aircraft with flying wing design in addition to fully autonomous PADA and GTV and participated in 2024 International SAE
Aero Design Competition. The team participated in the
Advanced Class which is the most challenging category in the competition and
received:
·
3rd Place Award for Technical
Presentation
|
|
|
|
|
In addition, the team had a well participation in 2024 CSUNPosium and presented the engineering details of the project, receiving a First Place Award in the competition.
The team
also participated in Senior Design Project Showcase held by CSUN College
of Engineering in May 2024 and was awarded as the Top Mechanical
Engineering Team for Oral Presentation (https://w2.csun.edu/engineering-computer-science/college/students/senior-design-project-showcase).
There were several dedicated students in the team and the
team Avionics Lead (Randal Engelhardt) was the selected Top Undergraduate
Student of Mechanical Engineering in May 2024.
Some team photos:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
2022-23 Aero Senior Design team designed and manufactured an innovative
aircraft with flying wing design in addition to fully autonomous PADA and GTV.
The team participated in 2023 International SAE Aero West Competition:
·
2nd Place Standing for Technical Presentation
The team participated in the Advanced Class which is the most
challenging category in the competition. The team also received 2 awards in 2023
CSUNPosium:
·
1st
Place, "Aerodynamic
analysis of a flying wing aircraft", Raphael Perez, Sahil Keniya, and Ivan Ayon
·
1st
Place, "Quantification of carbon fiber interference with radio
waves between receiver and transmitter for RC planes in terms of
concealment and percentage of signal loss", Brenda
Rios and Daniel Lu
Primary Aircraft, PADA, and GTV
PADA
GTV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
2021-22 Aero Senior Design team won 2 awards in 2022 International
SAE Aero West Competition:
·
2nd Place Award for Mission Performance
·
3rd Place Award for Technical Presentation
The team participated in the Advanced Class which is the most
challenging category in the competition.
In addition, the Aero Senior Design team won two awards in Senior
Design Project Showcase, held by the college of Engineering and Computer
Science on Thursday May 5th (https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/SDPS2022Brochure5May22FINAL2-lk.pdf):
College Top Senior Design Project Display (Grand Prize, Award:
$1000)
Top Overall Oral Presentation of Mechanical
Engineering Department (Award: $500)
The team also received 3 First Place awards in 2022 CSUNPosium.
·
1st Place, "Aerodynamic Characteristics of
Horizontal and Vertical Tails", Hamza Abdullah and Erick
Navarro-Hernandez.
· 1st Place, "Optimization of Electronic
Control Systems", Christopher Gonzalez.
· 1st Place, "Aerodynamics Analysis of a
Powered Autonomous Delivery Aircraft", Sara Khan and Noe Diaz.
CSUN Today: CSUN Team Soars at SAE International Aero Design West
Competition
CSUN
Today: Engineering and Computer Science Seniors
Showcase Their Innovations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021
Aero Senior Design 2020-21 team won the First Place in Mechanical Eng. in Senior Design
Project Showcase (SDPS).
The team won 4th Place in
presentation in 2021 International SAE Aero competition (Advanced class).
The students also received 3 Awards (1st
and 2nd places) in 2021 CSUNPosium:
·
1st Place- Poster Presentation, Aero Senior
Design: “Performance Study of Low Reynolds Number Eppler 423
Airfoil”, Presented by Isaac Chavez
·
2nd Place- Ten Minute Oral
Presentation, Aero Senior Design: “Performance Study of a Lifting
Fuselage”, Presented by Lorenzo Quijas and Tahir
Quettawala
·
2nd Place- Three Minute Oral
Presentation, Aero Senior Design: "FEA Analysis on the Colonist
Delivery Aircraft Hook Mount”, Presented by Calvin Lau
The 2021 SDPS team
presentation can be found in the following links:
https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/SDPS_Brochure_7May21_with_video_links.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkjSwmTVtyE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
SAE Aero Competition 2020
CSUN Aero senior design team participated in SAE
International Aero Design East Competition in Lakeland, Florida, March 6-8,
2020. The competition consists of 3 classes and the team participated in
Advance class which is the most challenging class. The SAE Aero Design
competition is to design, manufacture, and test a radio
controlled aircraft that can take off, land, and optimally meet the
mission requirements. The designed primary aircraft in this project is equipped
to deliver 14 Habitat Modules and 7 water bottles along with 3 CDAs each
carrying 30 colonists. The guiding philosophy of the design process centers on
mission-specific requirements. Integration of supply payload and CDAs was a
cornerstone of this philosophy. Closed-form solutions were used to optimize
design variables through iteration.
Details of
competition and regulations can be found in https://www.sae.org/attend/student-events/sae-aero-design-east.
CSUN Senior Design Project Showcase (SDPS 2020)
The primary goal for CSUN Aeronautics is to safely deliver the maximum
amount of colonist onto the surface of Mars while maximizing the total days of
habitability, based on the Final Flight Score. This aircraft sacrifices a
conventional structure for a payload oriented design
driven by the SAE Aero Competition- Advanced Class mission objectives.
Aerodynamics, structures, avionics, systems and integration, and manufacturing
teams worked together to design an aircraft capable of meeting and exceeding
mission expectations. Design constraints laid out by SAE Aero Design East
Advanced Class include a maximum wingspan of 11 feet, 750
watt power limiter and a maximum take-off weight of 55 pounds. Final
flight score is achieved by systematically releasing first the payload,
consisting of water bottles and nerf howlers, followed by the autonomous
gliders at specific altitudes onto a 50 foot radius
target zone. This hands on experience emphasizes the
importance of blending together teamwork, knowledge, and dedication.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fall 2018 - Spring 2019
Mission
Statement
“The Red Genesis mission is to
design and optimize an electric aircraft to transport colonists in autonomous
gliders while also dropping food, shelter, and other supplies within a target
area in order to make a terrain habitable.”
Design Philosophy
The design
philosophy seeks to minimize the operating empty weight to ensure the aircraft
can house the static payload, water supply, habitats, and the mounted Colonist
Delivery Craft. The project requires the abilities and concepts learned from
the foundational mechanical engineering program while necessitates experience
working with composites and machining. Autonomous Colonist Delivery Craft also
needs the understanding of GPS guidance systems, programming, and Mechatronics.
The team members must be committed to a strict budget and task deadlines.
SAE Aero Competition 2019
CSUN Aero
senior design team participated in SAE International Aero Design West
Competition in Van Nuys, CA, April 5-7, 2019. The competition consists of 3
classes and the team participated in Advance class which is the most
challenging class. CSUN Aero team got 4th place in Technical Design
Report and 4th place in Technical Presentation.
Details of
competition and regulations can be found in https://www.sae.org/attend/student-events/sae-aero-design-west/.
2019 SAE
Aero Design rules can be found at http://www.saeaerodesign.com/cdsweb/gen/DocumentResources.aspx.
CSUN Senior Design Project Showcase (SDPS 2019)
Project
Description: The objective of the 2018-2019 CSUN Aero Senior Design Project is
to apply engineering fundamentals, analysis skills, and software to an
extensive design project with an emphasis in aerospace engineering. Some of the
main topics that are addressed in the project are aerodynamics and aircraft
design, aircraft structure, stability, propulsion, and flight systems. In this
multi-disciplinary project, a new remote controlled
aircraft is designed and manufactured to deliver some humanitarian payloads,
including water bottles, nerf howlers, and autonomous gliders, into a targeted
area. The aircraft is designed to fit the design constraints set by the SAE
Aero West Advanced Class Competition, including Maximum 12 ft wingspan, 750 watt power limit for propulsion, and maximum take-off
weight of 55 lbs. The payloads are used to achieve a score by systematically
releasing them from specific altitudes onto targets. It is a hands-on
experience emphasizing the importance of educational values and technology
advances. For more info visit:
https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/sdps2019.pdf
