The design of the glider
When the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, reached out for help with an entry in the Moomba Festival’s Birdman Rally, RMIT’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Research Team came back with four Melbourne-themed options for the final design.
The options included a seagull stealing an oversized chip, a rainbow lorikeet, a fruitbat, and the winning magpie swooping a cyclist design by student Abaigeal Wynter and illustrated by Kimberley Bull.
Avid Collingwood Football Club supporter, Lord Mayor Sally Capp, chose the magpie and construction began on the body and the wings.
“The glider is constructed primarily from fibreglass rods, covered in ripstop nylon, painted to look like a magpie and complete with feathers,” explained Kimberley Bull, the RMIT UAS Team Leader, who was on hand on Sunday to help guide the Consul-General into the River.
“The head is 800mm 3D printed using one of RMIT’s industrial printers from the Advanced Manufacturing Hub."
“We wanted the concept to be uniquely Australian and particularly Melburnian, and nothing is more Melburnian than being swooped by a magpie while cycling, which is why the Consul-General will be dressed as a cyclist.”
Professor Jennifer Palmer, the Associate Dean of Aerospace Engineering and Aviation at RMIT, has overseen the process.
“The students have brought to the project a high level of skill in conceptual design, computer-aided engineering, aerodynamics and systems integration, as well as artistic flair and dedication to seeing the project completed,” said Palmer.
“We used a computer-aided design created by the students and a resin 3D printer to create the head, which took over three days to print.”
The student team worked with the Lord Mayor to fund and source the materials required for the gliding system.
“The troubleshooting was the most interesting part of the project, because none of us knew exactly how to create a giant magpie that would gracefully glide above the river before entering the water,” said Palmer.
Launching a diplomat above the Yarra River
The project was a collaboration between RMIT University, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp and the British Consul-General for Victoria, Stephen Lysaght.
The collaboration raised funds for the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic organisation that advocates for a variety of causes close to the heart of Melburnians, and which is celebrating its centenary in 2024.
