Ware Lab Student Projects

Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Team (AAVT)

Virginia Tech's AAVT team is comprised of senior mechanical engineering students. The overall goals of the team are to design, equip, and test an aerial vehicle (AV) for autonomous flight in the International Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC).

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team (AUVT)

Every year the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team (AUVT) designs, fabricates and competes a submarine capable of navigating an underwater course without any human input.

Baja SAE (BAJA)

Each year the Baja SAE team designs, manufactures and tests a single person off-road vehicle to compete in international competitions during the spring and summer.

Battery Operated Land Transport (BOLT)

The BOLT team is comprised of senior mechanical engineering students who take an existing street bike frame and suspension and convert the power plant to total electric. The existing gas tank and engine is removed and replaced with a 100 V lithium polymer battery, Kollmorgen controller and electric motor. BOLTS current motorcycle has a Honda frame and suspension and has clocked top speeds in excess of 99 MPH! The team competes in multiple national competitions earning top places in their catagory and overall.

Design, Build, Fly! (DBF)

The Virginia Tech Design, Build Fly (DBF) Team is an all volunteer multidisiplinary team that must redesign a radio controlled aircraft each year to achieve new missions and rules.

Formula SAE (FSAE)

The Formula SAE team’s mission is to concieve, design and fabricate a Formula-style racecar to win an annual international competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Fuel Cell

Fuel Cell - Students involved in the this Project are focused on researching a better way to create fuel cells. Currently, the goal is to design, test and construct a passive micro tubular direct methanol cell for use in commercial and military applications.

Human Powered Aircraft (HPA)

The purpose of this competition is to produce a human powered air vehicle suitable for athletic competition in temperate weather as experienced in the United Kingdom.

Human Powered Submarine (HPS)

The mission of the Human Powered Submarine (HPS) is to design, build and race a submarine propelled soley by human power in a yearly international competition.

Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team (HEVT)

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team (HEVT) is currently participating in Challenge X, where teams are required to reengineer a GM Equinox to minimize energy consumption, emissions, and greenhouse gases while maintaining or exceeding the vehicle’s utility and performance.

ASCE Concrete Canoe

ASCE Concrete Canoe involves the construction of a craft made of lightweight concrete and a geoform rubber mesh that can be piloted by up to four persons. The Virginia Tech team competes in the regional ASCE Virginias competion with colleges from Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC. Finalists go on to compete in the International ASCE event.

Multi Project Bay

The Multi Project Bay is used as a works space for up to eight different student project teams from the College of Engineering. With generous help from the Student Engineering Council the bay is now stocked with basic tools and materials and include lockers for securing parts. Any junior or senior engineering team is welcome to utilize the bay as long as they have a faculty advisor and have consulted with the Ware Lab director.

Solar Decathlon

Virginia Tech was selected as one of 20 teams in the country to participate in this competition in designing an energy efficient solar-powered house. This is a joint project with the College of Architecture as well as other engineering departments such as civil and environmental, electrical and computer, computer science, and industrial systems and design. ME students are responsible for the mechanical aspects of the design such as HVAC, plumbing, and motorized components.

AISC Steel Bridge

Civil Engineering students are challenged in an intercollegiate competition that includes design, fabrication and construction of a 20 foot steel bridge. The structure is built at competiton from 3 foot prefabricated segments and can carry up to 2300 lbs using a pattern/envelope loading. The Virginia Tech team competes in the regional ASCE Virginias competion with colleges from Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC. Finalists go on to compete in the International ASCE/AISC event.