About the Project
We are a team of four aerospace engineering students at SDSU building a radio-controlled
Wing in Ground Effect (WIG) vehicle — a craft that exploits the aerodynamic advantage of
flying very close to a surface to dramatically increase efficiency. Our prototype
demonstrates ground effect at RC scale using 3D printing, carbon fiber, and a custom
flight controller setup.
Ground effect occurs when a wing flies within roughly one wingspan of the ground.
The surface disrupts wingtip vortices, reducing induced drag and increasing lift —
meaning the vehicle can fly faster or carry more weight for the same power.
Design Specifications
Airfoil: FX 63-137 — high-lift, low-speed, proven in ground effect vehicle designs
Wingspan: 5.4 ft (5.8 ft with winglets)
Mean Chord: 12 inches | Wing Area: 5.4 ft² | Outboard Anhedral: 15°
Propulsion: 4× BrotherHobby Tornado T5 3115 Pro motors, 4× Skywalker V2 ESCs
Battery: 2× Ovonic 6S LiPo 5200mAh | PDB: Matek X Class 12S
Flight Controller: Holybro Pixhawk 6C with dual GPS (PX4 / ArduPilot)
Rangefinder: Benewake TFmini-S LiDAR altimeter for ride height measurement
RC System: RadioMaster Boxer + ELRS receiver | Telemetry: 3DR 500mW 915MHz kit
Structure: 3D printed ASA + ABS over carbon fiber spar skeleton
Servos: 5× Hosyond DS3225 25kg high-torque metal gear
Build Log
March 2026
Weeks 7–9: Full Build Phase Underway
Remaining electronics received. Bench testing motors and ESCs. Continuing 3D printing
of wing panels and control surfaces. Assembly of fuselage and spar structure in progress.
February 23, 2026
Weeks 5–6: Parts Arrived, Printing Started
Motors, ESCs, batteries, propellers, carbon fiber spars, and all filament arrived.
Nose cone, fuselage sections 1–3, and wing section 1 completed on the printer.
February 6, 2026
Week 4: Design Finalized, Proposal Submitted
Design locked: FX 63-137 airfoil, AR=5.4, 5.4ft wingspan, 4-motor distributed
propulsion. Full SolidWorks assembly completed. Proposal submitted and approved.
January 2026
Weeks 1–3: Research & Trade Studies
Researched historical WIG vehicles (Caspian Sea Monster, Lun class, Orlyonok).
Completed airfoil trade study comparing FX 63-137, NACA 4412, and GAW-1.
Selected FX 63-137 for its superior low-speed high-lift characteristics.
