Fly the Future is a multidisciplinary design team that creates autonomous aerial drones by integrating hardware engineering, software development, and competitive racing.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Students and aspiring engineers often lack practical opportunities to integrate hardware design, software development, and real-world testing of autonomous aerial systems, limiting their ability to acquire comprehensive drone engineering skills.
Solution
Fly the Future provides a university-based multidisciplinary design team that brings together CAD-driven carbon‑fiber airframe construction, custom electronics integration, and advanced computer‑vision flight software. Team members design, prototype, and fabricate drones, then program autonomous flight logic and develop supporting web or mobile applications. The program also includes competitive FPV racing, giving participants real-time testing and performance feedback. By combining engineering, software, and racing activities, the team offers a hands‑on learning environment that bridges theoretical coursework with applied drone technology.
Target Audience
Primary participants are undergraduate engineering students at Missouri S&T seeking hands‑on experience in drone hardware, software, and competitive racing, as well as industry partners interested in collaborative research and talent development.
Features
- CAD modeling and carbon‑fiber fabrication of lightweight drone airframes
- Integration of custom electronics and sensors for flight control and data acquisition
- Development of autonomous flight algorithms using computer‑vision and real‑time processing
- Creation of companion web and mobile applications for mission planning and telemetry
- Participation in regional FPV racing competitions to validate performance and refine designs
- Business and outreach activities, including social‑media promotion and merchandise design, to develop communication and leadership skills