Rescue Drones, Rocket Science and Aerial Photography: A Special Preview of Engineering Design Day 2018
On April 30, nearly 600 senior engineering students will display a search and rescue drone, a device to protect people from the aftereffects of snakebites and more than 100 other projects with the potential to save lives, time and money.
Members of the Terrestrial Exploration project work on their aerial photography vehicle, which blends the vertical takeoff capabilities of a drone with the smooth sailing and endurance of a plane.
The College of Engineering’s 16th annual Engineering Design Day will feature the creative projects of hundreds of senior students in the UA College of Engineering. Make sure to check out the Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom and the UA Mall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 30.
This year’s senior teams have designed projects to help mining companies dig deep into the earth and to allow astronauts to breathe on missions far from it. There are apps to help you keep everything from your stress levels to your electricity bill under control and biomedical devices taking steps toward treating lung disease, macular degeneration and even cancer.
“Engineering Design Day is the best day of the semester,” said Larry Head, acting dean of the College of Engineering. “It’s great to showcase our students’ enthusiasm, creativity and teamwork to our industry partners, the public and university and community leaders.”
More than 60 companies and university affiliates -- including Caterpillar, Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson Electric Power, Honeywell Aerospace, Ventana Medical Systems, Microsoft and General Dynamics -- have partnered with teams on projects that turn designs into prototypes and prototypes into a brighter future.
UAVs to the Rescue
After a major fire or earthquake, rescue professionals or firefighters have to enter hazardous areas if anybody needs help. In 2016, more than 60,000 firefighter injuries were reported in the United States. One senior design team is out to reduce that number by improving the efficiency of search and rescue missions with drone technology.
