Project-Based Learning: A Search and Rescue UAV – Perceptions of an Undergraduate Engineering Design Team: A Preliminary Study

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide a voice for students about project-based learning in an undergraduate education setting. During their final year of a four year undergraduate engineering degree a group of 8 students successfully designed, developed and manufactured an autonomous search and rescue Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), as an integrated project-based learning part of the curriculum. The use of project-based education in undergraduate engineering courses has been discussed in the literature on pedagogy in higher education. However, little has been discussed about the students ’ own perceptions of the use of project-based learning and teaching. In this paper students undertaking a final year Design Project course reflect on both the learning process and the outcomes of the year long search and rescue UAV project. This discussion represents a preliminary overview of the students ’ findings and provides a basis from which to conduct further, more detailed, investigations at a later stage