Engineering student wins top honors at AIAA Student Paper Conference
UNC Charlotte mechanical engineering student Abhinav Das earned first place in the undergraduate division at the 2026 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region II Student Paper Conference and received the Stan Powell Prize for best paper, the conference’s highest paper award.
Das, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with an aerospace engineering concentration, presented research on a new drone propeller design that reduces noise while improving performance. He designed, 3D-printed and tested a closed-loop, or “toroidal,” propeller that reduced noise by 3.5 decibels and generated 10.3% more thrust at cruising speeds than a standard propeller.
His paper, “Aero-Acoustic Optimization and Experimental Validation of a NACA 2415 Toroidal UAV Propeller,” also qualified him to represent AIAA Region II at the AIAA SciTech Forum in January 2027.
“The most interesting aspect of this research was bridging the gap between aerodynamic theory and physical reality,” Das said. “Successfully testing a completely new propeller geometry has fueled my passion to keep pushing the boundaries of aerospace engineering.”
Das conducted the research under the guidance of faculty mentor Artur Wolek, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science. The conference, hosted by the AIAA and the University of South Carolina, brought together high school and university students from across the southeastern United States and U.S. territories.
Written by: Meenakshi Nair
Photos courtesy: Abhinav Das