In-house Composites Development
April 2026
WIP
Airframe
Compression Testing
To validate our SRAD fiberglass airframe, four samples were prepared for compression testing. Samples 1 and 2 consisted of three layers of 18 oz E-glass. Samples 3 and 4 consisted of 9 and 14 layers, respectively, of a lower-density 6 oz fiberglass. Samples 1, 2, and 3 were ~70 thou thick, whereas Sample 4 was ~110 thou thick. An improvised test fixture was manufactured on the day of testing to accommodate the 5” diameter of the airframe.
Compression testing demonstrated the superiority of the lower density 6 oz fiberglass, which allows for the laminate to have more layers for the same thickness. Samples 3 and 4 (6 oz) have strength-to-weight ratios 80% higher than those of the 18 oz samples. The test for Sample 4 was terminated early, as it reached the 50 kN limit of NYU’s Instron 68TM-50. Strain is overestimated for all samples due to the deformation of the 1/4” aluminum fixture plates.
A 9 layer composite layup with 6 oz fiberglass was selected for the airframe of Rogue Aerospace’s 2025-2026 competition vehicle, Perseverance. While an airframe with 14 layers would induce a higher safety factor, it was determined that the additional strength was not worth the added weight. Additionally, the extra plies would increase cost, manufacturing time, and complexity of layup prep.
Fairings
Fin Can
