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Recruiting 2026/27 · applications open until 18 October

Come fly
with us!

We’re looking for University of Padua students, from engineering and beyond. No experience needed: just the will to learn.

Apply nowHow it works

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Every year the team welcomes new people who take over from those who have finished their journey. One of them could be you.

01

Pick a department

Look at the five departments and choose where you can give your best, or what excites you most.

02

Fill in the form

The application form is online until 18 October: tell us which department you’d prefer.

03

Getting-to-know-you interview

In person, to get to know each other: who you are, what you like, what you can bring.

04

Technical interview

The second interview, also in person. No studying needed: motivation is what counts.

05

Welcome to LiftUP

You join your department and start working with the leads.

The five departments

There’s a place
for you

Department 01 / 05

Flight dynamics

Aerodynamics and flight mechanics together: airfoils and CFD, aircraft configuration, stability, control surfaces, flight telemetry.

Into fluid dynamics and simulation software? You’ll design and optimise the drone’s lifting surfaces, using panel methods and CFD to predict and improve flight performance.

Want to understand how an aircraft behaves in the air? You’ll work on stability, overall configuration and the sizing of tail and control surfaces. You’ll analyse test telemetry and build flight simulators to compare theory and practice.

CFDXFLR5StabilityTelemetryWind tunnel

For people who love numbers and want to understand how aircraft fly.

Department 02 / 05

Structures

Three teams: surfaces (wing and tail), fuselage and landing gear. From CAD and FEM to carbon and glass lay-up, by hand or by infusion.

This is where the drone goes from digital model to reality. For the fuselage, the goal is a light, strong structure that holds the payload and all onboard systems.

Wing and tail mix design and building: CAD, FEM, hot-wire cutting, lay-up and sanding for precise finishes, plus static and dynamic tests. The landing gear combines CAD, FEM, 3D printing and lay-up into a robust, integrated retractable system.

CADFEMCompositesHot wire3D printingStatic tests

For people who want to get their hands dirty and watch the drone come together piece by piece.

Department 03 / 05

Avionics

Flight controllers, GPS, receivers, ESCs and batteries. Circuit boards, controllers, test benches, wiring and onboard software.

Experience with ArduPilot, ESCs, Li-Po batteries or telemetry? You’ll feel at home. When off-the-shelf parts aren’t enough, we design our own: on Midnight, a home-made unit keeps the current under the 30 A limit set by the rules.

You’ll work on test benches, prototypes and onboard software, and design the controllers that stabilise and guide the aircraft.

PCBControllersArduPilotESCLi-PoTelemetry

For people who love circuits and code.

Department 04 / 05

Administration

The link between the team, the university and partner companies: sponsors, budget, competition registration, travel and logistics.

Love organising, communicating and building relationships? You’ll handle project management, sponsorship, partnerships, budget and paperwork.

SponsorBudgetOrganisationPartnerships

Even if you don’t study engineering.

Department 05 / 05

PR & Social Media

You tell the team’s story: Instagram and LinkedIn, photo and video, the website, events and sponsor relations.

Studying communication? We need you too. There’s so much to tell at LiftUP: the lab, the wind tunnel, the flying field, the competition. Every week something happens that deserves a photo, a video, a post.

The right place if you love video, design and digital communication: at the end you have a real portfolio and the University’s Open Badge.

InstagramLinkedInPhoto & videoReels & storiesWebsiteEvents

Even if you don’t study engineering.

Why join

What you
take home

01

Learn by doing

Theory that becomes a real object: carbon, CFD, electronics.

02

Real tools

CAD, FEM, CFD, ArduPilot: the same tools you’ll find in industry.

03

Partner companies

You work alongside the sponsors who believe in the project.

04

A real team

More than 60 people who share your passion.

05

Open Badge

An official digital certificate for your CV.

06

Even your thesis

You can do your thesis on the project: not just theory, an aircraft that flies.

Requirements

No experience needed.
Just the will to learn

5–6hours

a week, in the lab or online

2years

years minimum, to really grow

2interviews

in-person interviews: personal and technical

5

departments to choose from

We ask for at least 5–6 hours a week, between hands-on lab work and meetings or online work, and a minimum of two years: this keeps the project going and gives everyone time to grow with the group.

You don’t need advanced skills: passion, motivation and the will to learn are what count. Everything else you learn step by step, working with the leads and your teammates. At the end you receive an Open Badge certifying your experience.

FAQ

Frequently asked
questions

Any other questions? Write to info@teamliftup.it.

01Do I need to prepare for the interviews?

No, there’s nothing to study. There are two in-person interviews: the first is to get to know you and your motivation, the second is technical.

02Are places limited?

Yes. Applications are assessed against the departments’ needs and the applicants’ availability, to keep the intake manageable and onboarding effective.

03Can I choose my department?

Yes, you can state your preference and we’ll try to respect it; the final decision also depends on demand and the team’s needs.

04Can I do my thesis on the project?

Yes, but it shouldn’t be your only reason to join: the experience goes well beyond a thesis, it’s a hands-on learning path.

05Can first-year students apply?

Yes. If you don’t have any skills or experience yet (model aircraft, electronics, mechanics) we suggest waiting until at least your second year, to have stronger foundations.

06How much time does it take each week?

On average 5–6 hours a week, depending on the period and deadlines. Close to the competition it can be more.

07How long do I need to stay?

We ask for a minimum of two years, so everyone can grow and really contribute to the project.

08Do I need previous experience?

No. Motivation is what counts: you’ll learn everything you need working with the leads and your teammates.

09What certification do I get?

At the end you receive an Open Badge, which officially certifies the skills and experience you gained.

10Is it only technical work?

No: Administration handles sponsors and budget, and PR & Social Media tells the team’s story on social media, the website and at events. It’s not just design or manufacturing.

Open Badge LiftUP

Open Badge

The certificate
you get at the end

Open Badges are internationally recognised digital certificates that attest technical skills, subject knowledge and soft skills gained along the way. Each badge combines a graphic with metadata that guarantee its validity: add it to your CV, share it on social media and collect it in your e-Portfolio.

The LiftUP badge on Bestr ↗

Applications open until 18 October

We’re designing the new aircraft
for ACC 2028

Apply nowQuestions?