You will become a real engineer being part of the UAV team. It's a unique blend of personal, team and engineering development, there is simply nothing else like it.
Being part of Lboro UAV
I joined Lboro UAV in 2021 (my part A), the application process to join the team involved completing a form on general questions about past project experiences and why I wanted to work in my top pick department. Successful applicants were given a formal (non-technical) interview as the final stage.
My role for the 2024 competition was Chief Systems Engineer, where I managed the systems department in designing and building the UAV's powertrain and flight control system, and then flight testing and tuning the UAV for stable fully autonomous flight.
The best part of being in the Team for me is everyone working together for one goal in creating the best UAV. Seeing how the project develops from scribbles on a whiteboard to a real flying aircraft and how the team develops alongside it, and at the end stepping back to realise how far we have come. It is a unique experience.
It is a lot of fun and there are many social aspects to Lboro UAV, there are usually socials that happen throughout the project (laser tag, pub nights etc.) so do not be put off!
The benefits of Lboro UAV
UAV is by far the (single) place I have learnt and applied the most engineering knowledge, from design to manufacturing, data analysis, making crucial decisions and coordinating the entire team to deliver a competition aircraft in time. Now working at Rolls-Royce, I have found that I can make informed decisions quickly and work within a team seamlessly, having understood how a real engineering project actually works (they never go to plan!)
I have made many new great friends from UAV, the amount of time you are together is a real bonding experience. UAV certainly has made me more disciplined and organised, and allowed me to directly apply what I have learnt in modules to grasp better understanding.
Being part of the Team was definitely useful in getting a placement. I found it natural and easy speaking about my experiences and hardships from UAV during the interview/application process, I had a UAV specific scenario that was directly applicable for every question. Feedback from the interview stated that talking about my UAV experiences was a strong point.
My advice to prospective members of Lboro UAV
UAV is a lot of work and commitment, you will need to dedicate and push yourself hard. In doing so, you will become a real engineering and a more confident person. You won't have a good or meaningful times if you do not apply yourself or do the work. Do not be afraid to question everyone and everything. Also do not worry if you have little experience, you learn quickly in the team (as long as you put in the effort) and it is your ability to dedicate yourself that matters. UAV is not a society so slacking is not an option, your team will need your help so do not let them down!
Your experience and opportunities you’ve had likely will not matter that much unless they are directly applicable to UAV's (which almost nobody has when joining!). It is the way you communicate with others and your willingness/ability to work hard, you will learn quickly and have the freedom expand your knowledge, let UAV be your experience.