SEO: Engineering student conquers the Hovercraft Project

Engineering students fly hovercraft through maze

Tran builds hovercraft able to navigate through a maze
By Kayla Schorr
On the final day of junior communication major Vincent Trans Introduction to
Engineering Design class, he did much more than murmur his goodbyes.
In May of 2014 in the Plant Science Building, Tran flew a hovercraft, which he
manufactured with the help of a collaborative team, around a simple maze.
The teacher didnt expect us to be able to
do it, Tran said. It was an introductory class, so
they wanted to see how well we could meet
deadlines and work in groups.
Tran and his teammates built the hovercraft
of what seemed to be rudimentary materials at first
glance, but it actually involved advanced coding.

Chan demonstrates his

hovercrafts design
Photo drawn by Vincent Tran

The four teammates implemented a large fan in the

middle of the hovercraft for flight and a lit polycarbonate sheet encamping the bottom to
trap the air and keep the device centered.

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K. Schorr W/R #14 (TA#2), A#A, Hovercraft, p. 2

They included three other fans on the top for extra support and programmed it to
run on a 12-volt battery. The hovercraft did not require a wireless controller; it fluttered
through the air and navigated directions using coding.
Flying hovercraft
After an entire semester of composition, planning, essay writing and presentation, the
More About
Vincent
Hometown: Silver
Spring, Maryland
Favorite movie:
The Dark Night
Favorite food: Pasta

hovercraft was ready for flight. Trans team prepared the

hovercraft for aviation and watched in amusement as it glided
through the rectangular wooden maze.
We were the only group who could do it, Tran said,
referring to his teams ability to program their hovercraft to
navigate the maze. Every other groups hovercraft got in the

Favorite song:
Hallelujah by Jeff
Buckley

air, but was not programmed for anything else.

Fun fact:
Thoroughly enjoys
mens fashion

professors expectations, there were some obstacles along the

Although Trans group went above and beyond the

way.

One of our group members just did not get along with the rest of us and tried to
work against us, said Thomas Ogden, Trans project manager. Ogden said that Tran
carried the group because he knew exactly how to communicate with the pessimistic
team member and work toward a common goal.

(more)
K. Schorr W/R #14 (TA#2), A#A, Hovercraft, p. 3

Tran reflected on his hovercraft manufacturing and flying experience with a

positive attitude. In the end, we accomplished more than we thought we could, and that
itself was a reward.

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