Aerial Robotics Club

Calling Young Innovators in Aerospace!

What is Aerial Robotics Club (ARC)?

Envisioned and led by Professor Hugh Liu of the Institute for Aerospace Studies of the University of Toronto, ARC is a junior researcher program that provides young inspired scientists and engineers with early opportunities to be involved in research and design. A selected group of high school students will work on projects and research topics evolving around the sciences of Aerial Robotics. The junior researchers will work with Professor Liu, graduate, and undergraduate students to hone their research skills by analyzing a project or research goal, assessing the required subject areas, and developing/verifying hypotheses and engineering designs. They will gain career-inspiring experience as future aerospace scientists and engineers.

The junior research program differentiates itself from traditional extracurricular programs in several key ways:

  1. The goal is to give students an experience of working like a professional researcher in the scientific community.
  2. The resulting work will be open-ended and up to the students’ discretion. There are no incorrect answers.
  3. It is NOT a design competition aimed at delivering specific results under a structured development process. We focus on creative ideas and critical thinking through a scientific approach
  4. It is NOT an advanced subject course aimed at obtaining specific knowledge or training specific technical skills. We encourage rigorous research study to develop problem solving skills.

The Challenge

The junior researcher teams will work on real life challenges. At the end of each term, they will present the research results, demonstrate their conceptual design. For example, the challenge for the 2021 spring-summer term was to design a “Flying Car.”

For the Summer 2023 session, multiple projects are available, all related to aerospace or robotics. New members of ARC (Junior Members) will have the chance to participate in general club activities and select their project at a later date.

Previous Challenges:

Why Join ARC?

Junior researchers will have a unique opportunity of gaining stimulating research experience and learning first-hand from university students, researchers, and guest advisors from the industry or other faculty.

Junior researchers will gain hands-on learning about flying and robotics by working on real problems. This program aims to inspire students to continue their passion in their STEM education, and to encourage students to pursue post-secondary education in science and engineering. The ARC program may offer opportunities of reaching higher goals such as publishing a research paper, filing a patent, or perhaps or starting a business.

Resources Provided:

  • Access to advisors, undergrad and graduate coaches
  • Guest speakers to give talks, ideas, and inspiration
  • Guided studies on flight related basic knowledge
  • Access and coaching on related hardware and software tools. These include:
    • MATLAB or equivalent tools
    • Python
    • CAD
    • Other simulation software

Meeting Schedule:

ARC meets via Zoom, from 7:30 pm ET to 9:00 pm ET every week on Thursday.

Find out More: