Chongqing - A drone team from Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL) won a first prize and two third prizes at the 2026 China Universities Aircraft Design Competition (CUADC). It was the team's first time competing in the event, and most of its members are students at the university's School of Criminal Investigation.
The competition was held in Zigong, Sichuan Province, earlier this month. SWUPL finished third in the Wing Static Load Challenge, earning a first prize, and received third prizes in the solar-powered aircraft flight and design report events.
Organized by the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the competition attracted more than 6,000 students and faculty members from over 200 universities. Its 12 events covered fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft and rockets, testing participants' skills in aircraft design, construction, flight and control.
SWUPL's first prize came in a challenge that tested how much weight a model wing could carry. Students had to build the wing using lightweight balsa wood while keeping it no heavier than 200 grams. During testing, the load was increased gradually until the wing failed. The maximum load it could withstand determined its result.
The students had to keep the wing itself light while making it strong enough to carry a heavy load. With limited experience in aircraft structures, they tested their designs on computers before cutting, assembling and sanding the wooden parts. After repeated adjustments, they managed to meet the weight limit.
The solar-powered aircraft presented a different challenge. In this event, planes powered by solar cells had to take off, climb as high as possible within a set time and land. To make their aircraft lighter, the SWUPL students reduced the number of solar cells on its wings from 87 to 64 and eventually to 44. Each change also meant recalculating key figures and revising the design report.
"We worked carefully through everything, from the wing shape and power system to the overall aircraft design, one step at a time," said Jia Ziyao, a forensic science student at SWUPL.
SWUPL established its drone club in April, with most members in their first or second year at the School of Criminal Investigation. Many are also taking a new short program in drone applications. The university is exploring how drone technology can be used in policing and public safety, giving students opportunities to learn technical skills alongside their studies in law and criminal investigation.
Chongqing is also encouraging universities to offer short, interdisciplinary programs that help students develop skills outside their main fields of study. Guidelines issued by the municipal education commission in December 2025 support such programs in emerging fields, including the low-altitude economy, which covers activities involving drones and other aircraft operating at low altitudes.
In November 2025, the city also introduced measures to support the development of the low-altitude economy. These include encouraging universities and vocational colleges to offer related programs and supporting vocational training and assessment for drone pilots.
At the competition, chief judge Li Yongxin asked the students why a university known for law had entered a drone design contest. "To manage drones well, we first need to understand them," the students replied.
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