MAE

Background

The FUSION Engineering Project, as an integral component of FUSION, offers extensive learning opportunities that extend beyond the confines of traditional classroom education. This project fosters professional growth, catering to students at various stages of their educational journey, be it novices learning software applications like SolidWorks or TinkerCAD, or more seasoned engineering students seeking to grow their leadership capabilities through team management and mentorship. The FUSION Engineering Project (FEP) represents an intermediate-level project designed to impart crucial engineering skills to students at various stages of their academic journey.

Goal and Objectives

This year's project structure includes both mechanical and hardware components. The mechanical team is responsible for the design and prototyping of the frame and drivetrain, while the hardware team is responsible for the wiring of the rover and integrating any software needed. The objective of each team is to create a...

Background

DBVF is a student-run engineering team at UC Irvine that competes in the Vertical Flight Society’s annual Design-Build-Vertical Flight competition. Each year, university teams design, build, and fly electric vertical takeoff and landing eVTOL(electric-powered remote-control vertical take-off and landing) aircraft based on a real mission scenario.

Our members work across subteams such as airframe, avionics, and aerodynamics, all contributing to the controls, payload systems, and overall flight operations of the vehicle. Everyone gets real hands-on experience in design, fabrication, and testing as we get ready for the national fly-off held each spring in Maryland.

Design

The 2025–2026 theme is wildfire response. The mission simulates aircraft delivering “sandbag” payloads to marked zones representing wildfire hotspots, inspired by real events such as the 2025 Palisades Fire.

Our aircraft is being designed to:

• Take off and land vertically
• Fly quickly between drop zones
• Maneuver precisely during payload delivery
• Deliver payloads accurately
• Support
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   Team 33 is developing a new rear suspension system for UCI’s Formula SAE electric racecar that improves handling, adjustability, and manufacturability.

Successful launch operations for the UCI Rocket Project Liquids Team’s rocket, MOCH4, depend on performing pre-launch procedures efficiently and consistently at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) site. Delays in setup increase exposure to rising wind speeds and propellant boil-off, both of which reduce launch success and altitude performance. To maximize performance and prevent the waste of money and time on the trip for an unsuccessful launch at the FAR site, the team is developing a modular launch rail that matches the FAR setup, enabling full-scale cold flows in the actual launch configuration and providing a realistic environment for assembly practice. This system reduces setup variability, improves data accuracy, and helps ensure reliable and repeatable launch operations.

The Zot-Under-Pressure team is UC Irvine’s second-generation entry into the National Fluid Power Association’s Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge (FPVC). This competition requires engineering students to design a hydraulic-powered vehicle capable of competing in sprint, endurance, efficiency, and regenerative braking events. Our design integrates a pedal-driven hydraulic pump, high-pressure accumulator, efficient charging/discharging system, and regenerative braking capable of storing braking energy for reuse. This year's goal for the vehicle is to reach the top three among the nationally competing teams. The project advances sustainable energy storage by converting human power into hydraulic propulsion while exploring innovative regenerative techniques.

HydraShift aims to convert an off-the-shelf 1:18 scale RC boat into a functional submarine. The submarine will be capable of underwater maneuverability and diving to a depth of at least five meters before reliably resurfacing. As RC boats are typically designed exclusively for surface operation, this transformation will require developing a ballast system to resist hydrostatic pressure and achieve buoyancy, sealing electronics to ensure waterproofing at high depths upon full submersion, and underwater propulsion. 

Mag‑Vengers is a senior design project in collaboration with a local company that focuses on advancing drone functionality through the use of electropermanent magnets (EPMs). The team is developing a lightweight, durable drone attachment system embedded with EPMs to create a strong, switchable magnetic latch. Controlled electronically, the latch can be turned “on” or “off” to securely hold and individually release six (or more) sensor pucks during high‑speed flight.

The project’s goal is to deliver a fully functional prototype that is reliable, aesthetically clean, and easy to modify for future teams or organizations. Over the course of two academic quarters, the team will apply skills in CAD modeling, simulation, prototyping, and documentation to design, test, and refine the system. Milestones include initial coil and component prototypes in Fall 2025, a second prototype for presentation at the Winter Design Fair, and a final prototype by Winter 2026.

Summary

Spanning several years, Aero Design @ UCI (formally UCI Cargo Plane) is a well-renowned project at the University of California, Irvine. This project provides a great opportunity for undergraduate students to learn the fundamentals of aircraft design, as it brings together the foundations of aerospace engineering and combines them with hands-on manufacturing experience. These skills will aid these members in future endeavors where they may design planes that could potentially carry more precious cargo. Given the formidable challenge by SAE, teams are expected to bring together unique perspectives in creating a one-of-a-kind RC aircraft, capable of meeting all constraints. All participating teams are expected to go through the entire design process, create a thorough design report, and present the team’s design to a panel of industry engineers.

Our goal for our project is to design and build a small-scale aircraft that contains a liquid payload with minimal...

Our project’s goal is to read the hematocrit value in blood using optics, otherwise known as a hematocrit sensor. This device is made to be integrated onto our sponsor’s (Diality) machine and will allow them to read a patient's blood volume rate. Critical design features of the device include: the accuracy of sensing hematocrit; the handling of hazardous material; and the usability of the machine by physicians and at-home caregivers. Stakeholders, including Dialysis Clinic, Technicians, Patients, Caregivers, Dialysis Field Service Technicians, and physicians/Nephrologists.

This project aims to design a cannon system that is capable to detecting, tracking, and hitting moving targets within a 360-degree area at a distance from 5 - 15 feet. With the exception of loading cannon balls, the system should work independently even without any user knowledge. By utilizing ultrasonic sensors and computer vision with OpenCV we accomplished autonomy, creating a system that is trained to hit RC Cars. Upon initial detection, our cannon automatically corrects pitch and yaw values to launch cannonballs at the target's predicted path position.

SmartSweat is a wearable patch that non-invasively and continuously measures lactate and sodium content in sweat. The device functions through a screen-printed electrochemical sensor integrated with microfluidic pads that channel sweat to the electrodes. A custom physical housing and adjustable band provides comfort and ensures the patch remains in contact with the skin, even during exercise/activity. The embedded bluetooth module transmits the data wirelessly to a mobile device, allowing users to view live analysis of health activity. The device enables users to monitor performance, prevent dehydration, and make informed decisions during daily activities. By combining low-cost materials and compact materials, SmartSweat demonstrates a unique access for dual monitoring of sodium and lactate levels. Targeted towards athletes and health-conscious consumers, SmartSweat can provide valuable input on hydration and metabolic performance. 

UAV Forge constitutes a multidisciplinary engineering design team with a specific focus on the comprehensive development cycle of autonomous aerial vehicles, encompassing design, manufacturing, programming, and rigorous testing. The paramount objective of this design endeavor is to adhere to the stipulated constraints, thereby enabling active participation in the SUAS 2025-2026 competition season.

Background

UAV Forge constitutes a multidisciplinary engineering design team with a specific focus on the comprehensive development cycle of autonomous aerial vehicles, encompassing design, manufacturing, programming, and rigorous testing. The paramount objective of this design endeavor is to adhere to the stipulated constraints, thereby enabling active participation in the SUAS 2025-2026 competition season.

The SUAS competition mandates that the UAV system possesses autonomous flight capabilities, proficient object avoidance capabilities pertaining to both stationary and dynamic entities, and adeptness in object detection, localization, and classification. Furthermore, the system is required to execute an airdrop delivery mechanism, ensuring the precise delivery of a payload object to a designated GPS location without incurring any damage.

Goal and Objectives 

While the immediate focus of this year’s team centers on achieving commendable performance within the competitive arena, the overarching goal is to provide undergraduate participants with a...

The Fuel Blending System Control and Demonstration project focuses on modernizing and integrating advanced control and data acquisition technologies for the UCI Combustion Lab’s fuel mixing system. This system supports testing on multiple end-use devices, including gas turbines, fuel cells, and other combustion systems, which are being adapted for operation on low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and biogas. The project involves reviewing existing system components, developing a comprehensive bill of materials (BOM) for upgraded hardware and software (e.g., LabView, Python, or MATLAB-based control), and ensuring full system compatibility. Once the updated components are procured, the team will integrate and demonstrate the system’s performance on one or more devices. The project aims to enhance flexibility, reliability, and data quality in fuel blending operations, supporting ongoing research in hydrogen and low-carbon fuel applications.

We are narcotic network as the word narcotic means to relieve great pain and that’s our goal, we want to create a network of pain relief through our medicine delivery advice, furthermore we want to get rid of the negative stigma associated with narcotics and create something that improves society instead.

• Our project goal is to create a network of medication delivery centered around a pharmacy using autonomous drones

• There are many problems with the procurement of medication, it takes too long just to speak with staff, medication may not be ready by the time you show up.

• This is for individuals that either cannot physically be in person to pick up medication at the pharmacy, those that cannot be at the pharmacy due to a time constraint or impatience, and for convenience.

About Us

Humans have achieved flight, yet birds and insects still surpass man-made aircraft in agility and control. The Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle (FWMAV) team seeks to uncover how nature achieves such mastery. By studying creatures like hummingbirds and dragonflies, engineers analyze the unsteady aerodynamics and nonlinear mechanisms that enable efficient, stable flight.

FWMAV’s small, agile, and hovering capabilities have applications in law enforcement, defense, and scientific research. The project investigates the physics behind flapping-wing flight to design innovative aerial systems.

Subteams

• Alpha Quadflapper: Optimizing a Quadflapper that is robust enough to perform maneuvers that are critical to showcasing the flapper.

• Gamma Quadflapper: Creating a “framework” that allows for the rapid prototyping of robust Gamma Quadflapper iterations.

• Novel 1 - X-Wing: Creating a Variable-Frame-Angle Quadflapper drone that can take advantage of theoretical efficiency benefits.

• Novel 2 - Single Wing: Optimization of a true Micro-Air-Vehicle (<50

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Background

The FUSION Engineering Project, as an integral component of FUSION, offers extensive learning opportunities that extend beyond the confines of traditional classroom education. This project fosters professional growth, catering to students at various stages of their educational journey—be it novices learning software applications like SolidWorks or TinkerCAD, or more seasoned engineering students seeking to grow their leadership capabilities through team management and mentorship. The FUSION Engineering Project (FEP) represents an intermediate-level project designed to impart crucial engineering skills to students at various stages of their academic journey.

Goal and Objectives

This year's project structure includes both mechanical and hardware components. The mechanical team is responsible for the design and prototyping of the frame and pick-up mechanism, while the hardware team is responsible for the wiring of the drone and selecting correct motors for the drone. The objective of each team is to create a drone capable of precise movement...

The goal of the FLAM@UCI project team is to collaboratively construct a museum-quality restoration of a 1918 Curtiss JN-4D "Jenny," an iconic World War I-era biplane used primarily for training U.S. military pilots. The restored aircraft will be non-flying but must accurately represent the original aircraft in dimensions, appearance, and structure, down to the materials, methods, and finishes wherever possible. The Curtiss JN-4D will be a featured piece at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, currently being built in Irvine Great Park. This isn’t just a build project — it’s a historical reconstruction effort requiring technical precision, planning, and teamwork. 

This collaboration engages UCI undergraduate students in an immersive, hands-on learning experience by partnering with the expert staff/volunteers of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum (FLAM) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Through the joint effort of building a historically accurate replica of the 1918 Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” with...

Our purpose:

The purpose of the UCI Solar Airplane project is to prove the viability of solar energy as a substitute for nonrenewable fuel and to provide aid in search and rescue missions during natural disasters where drones and other methods would not be effective. Climate change has progressed at an alarming rate, especially in recent years, making it evident that a drastic change in energy use is necessary. Even so, today’s most commonly used energy source globally is still fossil fuels. While the renewable energy market continues to expand, it is vital to concentrate efforts into promoting applications of clean energy.

The Solar Airplane team works to prove that solar energy is a viable alternative to fossil fuels in aviation in hopes that it will spur an increase in solar energy applications for other energy needs as well. Our project will conducts extensive research into solar panels and aviation to...

The DBVF (Design-Build-Vertical Flight) competition is an eVTOL (electric-powered remote-control vertical take-off and landing) vehicle competition where university students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and familiarize themselves with eVTOL and AAM (advanced air mobility). 

Student teams annually design, build, and test an eVTOL aircraft to meet specific objectives and attend a flyoff in Maryland, where they are scored on their ability to meet those objectives. 

UCI’s DBVF team AeroZot currently consists of members who are split into subteams to develop the airframe, hardware, software, and the financing of the eVTOL.

Summary

HyperXite is a multidisciplinary undergraduate student team at UC Irvine dedicated to creating sustainable transportation technology through innovative research and development. Our project aims to revolutionize high-speed travel by designing and building a small-scale, self-propelled train pod that validates system models, incorporates important sustainable technologies, and proves the feasibility of Hyperloop and magnetic levitation concepts.

Background 

The Hyperloop, introduced in 2013, represents a revolutionary mode of transportation, utilizing magnetically levitated pods propelled by electromagnetic forces within a near-vacuum tube. This design minimizes air resistance and eliminates friction, enabling speeds of up to 760 mph. HyperXite, a team dedicated to advancing Hyperloop technology, focuses on developing a small-scale monorail version of the pod. Since its establishment nine years ago, the team has worked to align its research with full-scale Hyperloop applications, emphasizing friction reduction through electromagnetic technologies and optimizing mechanical and electrical systems for efficiency.

HyperXite has gradually transitioned from...

The FUSION Engineering Project is a student-run engineering project that is managed by the club organization FUSION (Filipinx Undergraduate Scientists-Engineers In an Organized Network). The year-long project for the 2024-2025 academic year is a Remote-Controlled Precision Cargo Drone. This drone will have the capability to pick up a 2x2x2 in. wooden block and precisely deposit it at a landing zone. The drone will be controlled via remote control, and each team will implement their own creative designs including cameras, sensors, and other components to achieve this goal. At the end of the year, each team will use their drones to complete challenges in a competition. Each team will also be given the opportunity to present their work at our yearly conference FUSIONCon.

Background 

Anteater Formula Racing is a FSAE team at UCI that is dedicated to designing, building, and competing with an open-wheel, internal-combustion race car inspired by Formula 1 and IndyCar racing. The DRS project team is working closely with the Aerodynamics, Human Interface, and Electronics subteams within Anteater Formula Racing to design, test, and implement a drag reduction system on the existing rear wing of the vehicle, in order to improve race times and performance. 

Goal and Objectives 

The objective of Team DRS is to integrate a drag reduction system on the rear wing of the car in order to improve race times. By changing the position of the top two airfoils, the drag coefficient will be modified to adapt to the racing environment. The actuation of the system will have an automatic component, controlled by vehicle speed, and can also be activated manually by the driver. Additionally, the system...

Background

The rapid growing field of AI and high-performance computing has led to small-form factor chips (CPUs/TPUs) with exceedingly high heat fluxes. Traditional air cooling struggles to dissipate these thermal loads efficiently. The research from our team at UC Irvine proposes an innovative liquid-vapor phase change cooling plate to address the need for high-performance cold plates that integrate seamlessly with new generation server hardware.

Goal and Objectives

The team seeks to accomplish the following:

Q1 2025 (first half of winter quarter): Market research on industry chip cooling tech and academic literature on heat transfer fundamentals

Q2 2025 (second half of winter quarter): Finalize a design matrix via trade studies, providing complete design proposals for internal/external components, testing/data collection, and ANSYS fluid simulations

Q3 2025 (first half spring quarter): Validate manufacturing process and achieve target metrics in prototype testing

Q4 2025 (second half spring quarter): Revise design, scale for certain server motherboards and...

Our project focuses on developing a breathing device that delivers controlled airflow while promoting a positive user experience. Designed with durability and scalability in mind, this device ensures long-term reliability and cost-effective manufacturing, making it both practical and accessible.

By utilizing high-quality materials and an ergonomic design, we aim to create a seamless, user-friendly solution that integrates effortlessly into daily life. The device will withstand regular use without compromising performance, maintaining both safety and efficiency. Additionally, the design will be optimized for mass production, ensuring affordability without sacrificing quality.

Careful material selection and engineering will enhance usability, comfort, and longevity, making the device intuitive and maintenance-free. Our goal is to develop a reliable and effective solution that meets the highest standards of functionality while providing a smooth and controlled inhalation experience.

Background: 

Access to safe and effective inhalation devices is a growing concern, as many existing products on the market...

The UCI JellyfishBot team aims to develop a bioinspired underwater robot that mimics jellyfish movement for marine exploration within two academic quarters (Winter and Spring 2025). As the first project of its kind at UCI, the design features three subsystems: a linkage-based propulsion system, chassis, and electronic/control component. 

The goal of our project is to design and develop a device that can be used by coastal residences to generate electricity utilizing the waves in the ocean. Approximately 71% of the earth's surface is water, making this a very promising and bountiful resource. Large scale wave energy generators are already in commission but are unfeasible to use for individual households. To accommodate small-scale power generation needs, Coastal Currents is developing a compact wave-energy generator that is intended for residential use on the coastline to provide power directly to homes by utilizing the energy and geometry of the ocean’s waves.

This project focuses on the design of a Tiltwing VTOL drone that combines fixed-wing efficiency with vertical takeoff and landing flexibility. The rotating wings enable smooth transitions between hover and cruise, improving maneuverability. The goal is stable flight, reliable performance, and payload capacity. The final design integrates aerodynamics and control systems into a compact, high-performance UAV.