Competitions,
projects, and the
work behind them.
Every Arcis aircraft begins as a problem statement and ends on a competition flight line. This page documents what we build, how we build it, and where we take it.
[Current aircraft or project name]
[Brief description of the current season's aircraft — what competition, what class, what are the primary design objectives, and what makes this year's approach interesting. 2–3 sentences. Replace with actual content.]
View build photosThe engineering process
behind every aircraft.
Each Arcis aircraft follows a disciplined development cycle. The process is documented, reviewed, and refined each season.
Requirements & Trade Studies
Competition rules are parsed and scored to extract the primary optimisation targets. Trade studies compare wing configurations, propulsion options, and payload integration strategies against the scoring function before any design is committed.
Aerodynamic Analysis
Airfoil selection, wing planform optimisation, and drag estimation using computational tools. Lift and drag polars are generated for the design cruise condition and cross-checked against the structural load requirements.
CAD & Structural Design
Full 3D CAD model of the airframe including spar layout, rib geometry, fuselage bulkheads, and payload bay. Structural analysis informs material choices across the primary load path — carbon spar, foam core, and glass/carbon composite skin.
Avionics & Systems Integration
RC system architecture, servo selection, ESC and motor specification, battery sizing, and CG management. Avionics layout is co-designed with the structural team to avoid conflicts with load paths and access requirements.
Fabrication
In-house manufacturing using a combination of laser-cut balsa and plywood frames, foam core wing panels, hand composite layup for structural components, and 3D-printed fixtures and brackets. All fabrication follows the design documentation.
Ground Testing & First Flight
Static ground testing, taxi runs, and progressive flight test campaign before competition. Each flight adds data to validate the aerodynamic predictions and refine CG position, trim, and payload configuration.