The Future of Flight is Landing on the Sunshine Coast

As part of National Science Week, join us for a full-day fair celebrating the future of flight and showcasing our region's own eVTOL student team.

An eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft) is often called an Autonomous Air Taxi. These aircraft will soon offer an entirely new form of transport, capable of flying autonomously from Maroochydore to Brisbane in 20 minutes, bypassing the Bruce Highway altogether.

Since August 2023, MEF has been developing its own eVTOL in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Council, and the Queensland Government, backed by the effort of over 50 students.

The full-scale aircraft seats one person. It can fly at speeds exceeding 250 km/h, cover distances over 200km, reach altitudes of up to 3,000 ft, and take off and land on a helipad. It is built primarily from carbon fibre composite, with aerospace-grade aluminium, titanium, glass, and a small amount of steel.

Building an eVTOL demands expertise across design, structure, electronics, motors and batteries, computer vision, and much more. Our students and industry mentors will showcase all of it on the day, including:

• Two sub-scale flying models (12:1 and 6:1)
• A Virtual Reality model, letting you experience flight in the aircraft firsthand
• Large-scale non-flying models
• The chance to design, 3D print, and launch your own glider
• A 6-degree-of-freedom flight simulator
• Plenty more to explore

There will also be food, drinks, ice cream, and family fun throughout the day.

This free, family-friendly event welcomes kids young and old. Our goal is to raise awareness of the local aviation and manufacturing industry, inspire STEM careers, and celebrate the innovation driving our nation forward.

Tell your friends. We hope to see you there.