Zips Aero Design Team achieves record 4th place at international AIAA Design Build Fly Competition

The University of Akron's (UA) Zips Aero Design Team earned its best-ever result at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Design Build Fly (DBF) Competition, held April 10-14 in Tucson, Ariz. Competing against more than 1,200 students from 97 teams representing 14 countries, the Zips soared to a fourth-place finish, up from sixth place in 2024.

This year’s competition was themed after the historic Bell X-1, the first aircraft to break the sound barrier in 1947. Following this theme, teams were challenged to design an X-1 test vehicle capable of autonomous gliding flight. UA’s entry, named Boomerang, was deployed mid-air by the team’s carrier aircraft Zippy — echoing the way the original X-1 was launched from a B-29 bomber. In addition to deploying the glider, the carrier aircraft had to carry a payload mounted to underwing pylons, adding another level of design complexity.

The team led the competition for a significant portion and remained a top contender throughout despite adverse wind conditions in the later stages that challenged glider performance. Among U.S. institutions, UA ranked second only to Santa Clara University (third overall) and emerged as the top-performing team from Ohio, outperforming The Ohio State University (39th) and Case Western Reserve University (68th) — a clear sign that when it comes to aerospace innovation in the Buckeye State, UA leads the way.

"This result is a testament to our team’s incredible dedication, innovation and problem-solving under pressure," said Dr. Greg Morscher, professor of mechanical engineering and the team’s faculty advisor. "They demonstrated not only strong technical design and analytical skills, but also the ability to collaborate, adapt to changing conditions and execute under high-stakes scenarios."

The team includes students from a variety of academic backgrounds, with many pursuing degrees in Aerospace Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology and Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Sergio Felicelli, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, emphasized the broader significance of the team’s success: "We’re so proud of our students and grateful to Dr. Morscher for his mentorship. Our team represented UA, the city of Akron and the state of Ohio with excellence," he said. "Student design team competitions like these provide a concrete measure of the knowledge and skills our students gain in UA engineering programs. Not surprisingly, our graduates are highly sought after by employers, with an impressive 99% placement rate within six months of graduation."

RELATED CONTENT:

• Outstanding University of Akron engineering education experiences proven by student design teams' success
• Learn more about our Aerospace Engineering program

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.