Ever since he was a child, Sahevaan Taneja had an affinity for remote-controlled airplanes.

Taneja, now a freshman aerospace engineering major, was a regular sight at the local fields in Hyderabad, India where he would fly his experimental RC airplane models that he designed on his own.

In mid-2012, a family friend saw Taneja flying his RC airplanes and offered him a job helping the Indian government work on its surveillance drone project.

At first, Taneja worked on simple projects as he proved his merit — a small aircraft that could capture live video, for instance. The Indian government’s pre-existing drone program was full of very expensive equipment that required lots of training to use, Taneja said.

He helped the Indian government’s Ministry of Defense transition to autonomous, cheap surveillance drones that require minimal training and fly themselves. Taneja helped develop those drones using new airfoil technology. His airfoil wing design is currently undergoing the patenting process.

“The airfoil design functions more efficiently at slower speeds and allows the aircraft to take off at slower speeds and carry heavier weights to allow for aerial photography and videography,” Taneja said.

Taneja’s engineering skills began as a task from his father — he was challenged to attach a motor to a bicycle to turn it into a motorized bicycle. After successfully completing the challenge, Taneja continued to work on his skills as they turned into a lifelong passion.

“I take almost any opportunity that gives me engineering-related projects,” Taneja said. “At my high school I gave a small workshop about how to build radio-controlled aircrafts. I fly radio-controlled aircrafts and keep experimenting with different designs.”

Since coming to America to attend Syracuse University, Taneja has begun work at the New Explorations in Information and Science laboratory at the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Taneja’s ultimate goal, he said, is to own an aircraft and to keep building new projects.

“I find joy in my creations and in my works,” Taneja said. “I build things and I make them work. It’s fun.”

Published on February 16, 2015 at 12:01 am

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