EGB346 Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems have become a useful and common tool for engineers. As a future professional engineer it is critical to understand technical, practical and regulatory issues around the design and operation of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems. This unit introduces the key concepts and theory of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems including mission design, airframes and propulsion, autopilots and sensors, ground stations and communications, and flight operations and risk management. You will work with your peers in a team and design an Uncrewed Aircraft System-based solution to a real-world problem. You will draw on your experience in EGB243 Aircraft Systems and Flight.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Apply the theory and concepts of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems to design an overall solution to a real-world application (individually and as a team member),at an introductory level.
2. Apply the theory and concepts of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems to design sub-systems of an overall solution to a real-world application at an introductory level.
3. Apply and manage a risk-based approach to the operation of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems in a real-world application scenario at an introductory level.
4. Demonstrate understanding and problem solving of Uncrewed Aircraft System design choices at an introductory level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Formal lectures from experienced professional engineers to give you insight into professional engineering knowledge, skills and attributes.
• Weekly tutorials, applying the lecture materials of engineering and mathematical concepts to problem solving tasks relating to your Unmanned Aircraft System mission design.

To complement timetabled activities, you will be provided with readings and videos that you can access flexibly to complete your learning in this unit.

You are expected to

• Maintain notes and critical reflections on your group contributions to inform the group assessment tasks and your peer reviews.
• Complete weekly problem-solving tasks, that you are expected to attempt on your own, ahead of your tutorials, assisted by the provided solutions.

This unit will include content, case studies and examples of the ways in which the work of professional engineers connects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s status as First Nations owners of land and seas. This may include:

• partnership with Indigenous communities and Indigenous engineering businesses,
• connection with regulatory requirements such as the Cultural Heritage duty of care required under the Queensland Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2005, or
• engineering industry partners who have an organisational commitment through Reconciliation Actions Plans which bring responsibilities to engineers working with them.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You are encouraged to view your group as a learning community and to share and discuss emergent ideas as
you design your system. Each assessment submission will be marked against criteria and standards which will
be shared with you at the beginning of semester through Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics.
Marked assessment will include feedback from markers, against the criteria.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit has been designed to give you the opportunity to show your learning against the unit learning outcomes. Your learning will be assessed through elements of formative and summative assessment. The theoretic, general and practical knowledge elements of the unit will be assessed via design exercises and reported through two group reports, one including a video. Theoretic and practical knowledge will also be assessed via problem solving in a final exam.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Report 1

Groups (of three students) will submit a report (15% group component, and 15%individual component) demonstrating a UAS mission analysis and design.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in the assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Report 2

Groups (of three students) will submit a report (includes a video) showing how their mission design will interact with an airspace environment by applying a risk based approach to the operation of unmanned aircraft systems.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in the assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Final Examination (written)

Invigilated examination with set questions and problems to assess your application of the principles of aircraft systems understanding in the context of unmanned aircraft systems, identification and analysis of the context and implications of unmanned systems in the airspace environment, and the application of a risk based approach to the operation of unmanned aircraft systems.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Software

Some group members will need to use video editing software and some might use 3D modelling (CAD) software

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2, Final Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)
4. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2
2. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2
3. 
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, Report 1, Report 2, Final Examination (written)
2. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: ULO2, Report 1, Report 2, Final Examination (written)
3. Engage with and apply regulatory requirements relating to safety, risk management, and sustainability in professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Final Examination (written)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO4, Final Examination (written)

EV01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2, Final Examination (written)
2. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Report 1, Report 2, Final Examination (written)
3. Engage with and apply regulatory requirements relating to safety, risk management, and sustainability in professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Final Examination (written)