Archive · 10 Sep 2026
IIT Kharagpur Debuts in Aircraft Design Competition, Finishes 39th Globally
IIT Kharagpur students joined an international aircraft-building competition for the first time.
A team of 21 students designed and built an airplane in four months.
They also tested and flew the aircraft themselves.
The competition took place in Wichita, Kansas, in 2026.
Teams had to carry passengers and cargo, complete flight missions and tow a banner.
They also had to show how quickly they could change the airplane for different tasks.
IIT Kharagpur finished 39th worldwide and fifth among Asian teams.
It had the highest score of all participating Indian teams.
The project gave students practice in many parts of aerospace engineering.
IIT Kharagpur placed 39th globally and fifth in Asia at the AIAA Design/Build/Fly Competition.
The institute’s 21-member student team designed, built, tested and flew an aircraft in four months.
IIT Kharagpur recorded the highest total score among participating Indian teams.
The 2026 competition in Wichita, Kansas, featured teams from 12 countries and used a “Banner Towing Bush Plane” theme.
The University of Ljubljana won, followed by the University of Washington-Seattle and the University of California, Los Angeles.
- Who
- A 21-member student team from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, supported by its Department of Aerospace Engineering and Aerial Robotics Kharagpur Lab.
- What
- The team designed, built, tested and flew an aircraft in the AIAA Design/Build/Fly Competition, finishing 39th globally and fifth in Asia.
- When
- The 2026 edition of the competition, which marked its 30th year.
- Where
- Wichita, Kansas, United States.
- Why
- To apply classroom learning to aircraft design, manufacturing and flight operations while completing practical aerospace engineering challenges.
- Global position
- 39th
- Asian position
- Fifth
- Indian-team result
- Highest total score among participating Indian teams
- Student team
- 21 members
- Design and build period
- Four months
- Competition participation
- 98 teams submitted design reports; 89 attended the fly-off
- Competition theme
- Banner Towing Bush Plane