Using Digital Engineering to Develop a Modular Drone and the Needed Skill Sets for the Next Generation of Engineers

This paper describes the approach taken to develop a modular drone using digital engineering tools and processes as well as how the project equipped students with the critical skills needed to effectively contribute to the digital workforce of tomorrow. Using digital engineering tools and methodologies, students took a model-based approach to requirements definition, architecture development, design, analysis, and verification, enabling effective collaboration and efficient engineering. A focus on incorporating verification into the models ensured component-level compliance and system-level validation, including the drone’s ability to perform tasks like identifying ripe fruit and its reconfigurability to perform other missions. The iterative, model-driven approach streamlined the design lifecycle and minimized rework. Additionally, the project equipped students with industry-relevant skills aligned with the DoD’s Modular Open System Approach (MOSA), bridging the gap between academic learning and the demands of the evolving aerospace industry. This paper describes the hands-on experience of the students and the potential of digital engineering in preparing the next generation of engineers and serves as an exemplar for other universities to replicate.