Aerospace @ UIUC

Aaqil
Riaz.

View Work Get in Touch
01 /

About

I'm an aerospace engineering student at UIUC.

Passionate about everything aviation and automotive. Right now I'm focused on developing my skills across propulsion, GNC, aerodynamics, and software.

// Education
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign B.S. Aerospace Engineering · Minor in Computer Science · Expected May 2029
// Location
Urbana, IL Originally from West Chicago
// Focus Areas
Propulsion · GNC · Aerodynamics · Software Building toward flight-critical systems
// Citizenship
U.S. Citizen ITAR-eligible
02 /

Experience

// UP & COMING
In Rotation

Aerodynamic Stability and Control Lead

SAE Aero · UIUC
In Rotation

Technical Team Member

eVTOL Research Initiative (AERII)
SEP 2025 - PRESENT

Autonomous UAV Systems Engineer

Illinois Space Society · UIUC
Siemens NX Mission Planner Autopilot
SEP 2025 - PRESENT

Chief Strategy Officer & Fluids Engineer

Liquid Rocketry @ Illinois
Strategy Enclosure Design Fluids
SUMMER 2024

Mechanical Engineering Intern

Camcraft Manufacturing · Hanover Park, IL
SolidWorks 5-axis CNC GD&T
DEC 2024 - AUG 2025

Python Instructor & Curriculum Lead

STEMBridged
Python Curriculum Mentorship
AUG 2022 - MAY 2023

Technical Support Intern

West Chicago Community High School
Hardware Repair Helpdesk
03 /

Other Work

JUN 2024 Non-Profit

Project Lead (2x)

TMAGC
Web Dev Data Migration UI/UX
AUG 2024 - JAN 2025 Founder

Co-Founder

AquaSync
E-commerce Marketing Design
// VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY
ICNA Food Pantry 2022 - 2025
Chi-Care 2024 - PRESENT
04 /

Selected Projects

// PROJECT_001 Aerodynamics

Short Takeoff & Landing Glider Prototypes

Designed and built five foamboard glider prototypes testing variations in aerofoil geometry, dihedral, and weight distribution. Validated each build against XFLR5 simulations and got high correlation across the metrics that mattered.

Durability
+20% structural
Stall Speed
−15% reduction
XFLR5 Aerofoil Prototyping
// PROJECT_002 Propulsion

Custom Model Rocket Airframe

Engineered a model rocket from scratch with a 15-part custom airframe modeled in Fusion 360 and fabricated entirely through 3D printing. Simulated flight dynamics in OpenRocket and validated all critical structures in SimScale FEA.

Stability Margin
2.2 calibers
Safety Factor
2.5 @ 20G
Fusion 360 OpenRocket SimScale
// PROJECT_003 1st Place

Search-and-Rescue Fixed-Wing UAV

Designed and engineered a fixed-wing UAV for a simulated search-and-rescue mission at the HC Drone/UAV Design Challenge. Optimized wing geometry for high lift-to-drag ratio and stable low-speed flight.

Result
1st Place
Mission
SAR Sim.
Fixed-Wing L/D Optimization
// PROJECT_004 CAD

NASA AD-1 1:1 CAD Replica

Modeled a 1:1 replica of the NASA AD-1 in Siemens NX with all control surfaces. Used Animation Designer to drive the oblique wing through its full pivot range.

Wing Sweep
to 60°
Software
Siemens NX
Siemens NX Animation Replica
// PROJECT_005 Tool

SAE Design Optimizer

Calculator I built to run the standard aircraft sizing equations. Pick a wingspan, airfoil, and tail config (V, H twin boom, conventional, T, or cruciform) and it spits out estimated payload, weights, drag, stability margins, and material breakdowns. Made it to skip doing the math by hand for every config iteration.

Tail Configs
5 types
Span Limit
15 ft max
Aerodynamics Aircraft Design Optimizer
05 /

Technical Stack

// 01

CAD / CAE / Simulation

  • Siemens NX
  • Fusion 360
  • SolidWorks
  • XFLR5
  • ANSYS Fluent
  • SimScale FEA
// 02

Programming & Software

  • Python
  • Java
  • MATLAB
  • Mission Planner
  • OpenRocket
// 03

Fabrication & Hardware

  • 5-Axis CNC Machining
  • 3D Printing
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • GD&T
  • IMU / ESC Calibration
// 06 / Get in touch

Let's build
something.

ariaz7@illinois.edu