We are thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership between the Union Aero Team and 3Dconnexion, the industry leader in 3D navigation devices. Through this collaboration, the Aero Team is integrating the powerful SpaceMouse into our workflow, marking a significant leap forward in how we design, simulate, and iterate our aerospace systems.

What is the SpaceMouse?

The SpaceMouse is a state-of-the-art 3D navigation tool engineered for precision and efficiency. Unlike a traditional mouse, the SpaceMouse allows users to intuitively control 3D environments with six degrees of freedom, making it an ideal tool for engineers working with CAD software like SolidWorks. From manipulating complex assemblies to smoothly navigating simulations, the SpaceMouse makes every movement more fluid and natural.

How It’s Transforming Our Work

At Union Aero, every gram counts. Whether we’re designing modular airframes or optimizing control surfaces for stability and efficiency, our work demands both accuracy and speed. The SpaceMouse is already transforming the way our team interacts with our 3D models:

• Faster Prototyping: With precise control over 3D views, our engineers can inspect parts from every angle, speeding up design validation and iteration.

• Improved Ergonomics: Extended design sessions are now more comfortable, reducing fatigue and boosting productivity.

• Better Collaboration: Real-time model manipulation allows for more dynamic team discussions during design reviews.

A Shared Commitment to Innovation

Our partnership with 3Dconnexion is grounded in a shared commitment to innovation, precision, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in engineering design. Their generous support is not only a vote of confidence in our team but also a contribution to the future of aerospace education and research.

Looking Ahead

As we gear up for upcoming competitions and test flights, the integration of 3Dconnexion’s SpaceMouse into our toolkit is helping us engineer with greater insight, confidence, and creativity. We’re excited to continue sharing our progress and showcasing how cutting-edge tools like the SpaceMouse empower student engineers to reach new heights.

Stay tuned for updates and thank you to 3Dconnexion for being a part of our journey.

Learn more about 3Dconnexion on their website:

https://3dconnexion.com/us/

Learn how to support us for the 2026 Competition.

Learn more about our Sponsors.

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us at aeroclub@union.edu.

As we begin preparing for the 2026 SAE Aero Design season and explore new possibilities for autonomous capabilities, the Aero Team at Union College is proud to announce a new partnership with CubePilot, a leading provider of hardware and embedded software ecosystems for the civilian unmanned systems industry.

With our sights set on integrating precision landing, optical navigation, and fully autonomous flight capabilities, this partnership represents a major step forward in both our technical ambitions and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of student-led aerospace innovation. CubePilot’s technology is a natural fit for our aircraft. Their powerful and flexible Cube Autopilot ecosystem enables teams like ours to tailor navigation and control systems for specific mission profiles, giving us the precision and reliability we need as we take on more complex engineering challenges.

What makes CubePilot truly stand out is their deep connection to the open-source community and their ongoing commitment to quality, reliability, and adaptability. As we work to develop systems that are not only competition-ready but capable of real-world applications, these values align closely with our own goals.

We’re incredibly grateful to the CubePilot team for their support and are excited to feature their technology on our aircraft, on our team’s gear, and throughout our competition materials. This partnership allows us to build faster, test smarter, and fly further, and we can’t wait to show what’s possible when student innovation meets professional-grade tools.

Stay tuned for updates as we integrate CubePilot’s systems into our aircraft and continue pushing forward in the world of unmanned aerial systems.

Learn more about CubePilot on their website:

https://docs.cubepilot.org/

Learn how to support us for the 2026 Competition.

Learn more about our Sponsors.

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us at aeroclub@union.edu.

The Union Aero Team is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with DragonPlate, a leading innovator in carbon fiber composite materials. Known for their precision engineering and unmatched material strength, DragonPlate’s carbon fiber components have already played a key role in elevating our aircraft design, both literally and figuratively.

From the very first test flights, it was clear that DragonPlate’s products weren’t just a structural benefit, they were a competitive advantage. This past season, our aircraft faced significant design challenges, especially in high-stress regions such as the main spine and landing gear assemblies. By integrating DragonPlate’s lightweight yet incredibly strong carbon fiber components, we were able to maintain structural integrity while minimizing weight, an essential trade-off in competitive aeronautics.

What makes DragonPlate a natural partner for our team is not only the quality of their materials but also the ease of use. Their sheets and tubes are easily cut, drilled, and assembled, making them ideal for our iterative prototyping process and the tight build timelines of SAE Aero Design.

As we continue developing next-generation aircraft for competition, research, and innovation, this partnership will enable us to push the boundaries of aerospace engineering with greater confidence and capability.

We’re incredibly grateful to DragonPlate for supporting student innovation and engineering education. We look forward to building even more advanced and resilient aircraft together in the seasons ahead.

Learn more about DragonPlate’s products on their website: https://dragonplate.com/

Learn more about Union Aero Team’s 2025 aircraft.

Learn how to support us for the 2026 Competition.

Learn more about our Sponsors.

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us at aeroclub@union.edu.

Photos by Spencer Shaffer