Recently, the 2018 China International Aircraft Design Challenge (CADC) Selection Competition (Jiande Station) and the Zhejiang Research Aerospace Model Championship were held in the Jiande Economic Development Zone. The Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Model Aviation Club took part in the competition on behalf of SUSTech. Yin Yuchen and Cheng Sibin came second in the electric glider category, while Chen Xuanwu and Deng Ranbao finished third nationally.

This is the second time that the SUSTech Model Aviation Club has participated in the CADC competition. It is supported by the Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Shude College, and instructor Xu Zhenyu from the Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering. The preparations for the members were better than last year, having learned from their experience at last year’s competition. They gave up their summer vacation and spent days and nights in the maker workshop testing the electric glider and carrying out repeated flight operation training in the hot sun. During the competition, they competed with many university students, as well as exchanged ideas in order to improve.

The CADC (National Aerospace Model Tournament) is jointly sponsored by the State Sports General Administration, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology. It has been successfully held for 20 sessions since 2004. 4 finals, 4 popular competitions, along with the evaluation of scientific and technological innovation projects were held during the competition. It attracted teams from 53 institutes including Tsinghua University, Beihang University, and Zhejiang University, as well as some aircraft research and development institutions. In total, more than 600 athletes, coaches, and leaders participated in the competition. The contestants were required to make their own electric gliders to carry out the scale reduction verification flight before testing the feasibility, reliability, and practicability of the innovative works of their models. Such a competition explores and expands on the scientific and technological innovation abilities of the competing students and research institutes.

The SUSTech Model Aviation Club was established in 2014. There are more than 50 existing members and three professional guidance teachers. In August 2017, the Airshow’s electric gliding crew (Ying Chunhua, Wang Zhenyu, Qiu Xizhi, Cheng Sibin) came third in the China International Aircraft Design Challenge Regional Competition (CADC2007 Scientific Research) held in Xi’an. In September 2017, the model gliding crew (Qiu Xizhi, Cheng Sibin) won the third prize in the China International Aircraft Design Challenge final (CADC2007 scientific research class) held in Zhenjiang.