Recently, the 2025 New Flying Competition (NFC)successfully concluded in Hamburg, Germany. Aleksander Pilarski, an international student at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), played a key role as a member of the NPU-INNOVATION team, competing on the global stage against top teams from nine countries, including China, Germany, and Serbia. Demonstrating exceptional innovation and feasibility in their aircraft design, precise and skilled flight control techniques, and an unwavering team spirit of “Never Abandon, Never Give Up”, the team excelled through multiple rounds of competition, ultimately securing the World Runner-up award. This achievement not only brings honor to the team but also adds a remarkable milestone to NPU’s contributions to international exchange and development in the field of aviation.
NFC is recognized as one of the world’s largest and most prestigious aircraft design competitions. Organized by Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and sponsored by global aviation leaders including Airbus and Lufthansa, the event takes place every two years in Hamburg, Germany. Centered on challenging themes in civil aviation, the competition imposes rigorous requirements on key aircraft performance metrics such as load tolerance, cruising range, takeoff and landing performance, and energy efficiency. It also evaluates teams comprehensively across multiple dimensions—including aircraft design and fabrication, innovation capability, technical paper writing, engineering drawing, and video presentation skills. During the competition, Aleksander Pilarski and his teammates, building on ten months of meticulous preparation, saw their novel aircraft achieve the highest load tolerance in the entire competition due to its unique design. This feat prompted Airbus engineers to seek them out for dedicated technical exchange and high praise. Facing severe weather conditions, including gusty winds reaching levels 6 and 7 accompanied by showers, the team remained composed when their aircraft was unexpectedly damaged during landing. They adeptly managed the situation, ultimately becoming the only team that day to successfully complete two takeoffs and landings in the maneuverability flight event. Furthermore, in the endurance flight event, they achieved a remarkable flight time of 21 minutes and a distance of 31 kilometers, earning them second place globally. Their performance fully demonstrated solid professional expertise and formidable resilience under pressure.
Aleksander Pilarski, an international student enrolled in 2022 at the International College of NPU, has actively participated in various aeronautical competitions since his enrollment, becoming an indispensable core member of cross-cultural research teams. In July 2024, he made his debut at the International Conference on Mechatronics and Transportation and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Competition (ICMTC UAVC) held in Egypt. Although he did not win an award on this occasion, the experience of competing and exchanging ideas with top global participants provided him with an in-depth understanding of international competition rules and technical standards, accumulating valuable practical experience that laid a solid foundation for his subsequent endeavors. Just three months later, in October 2024, he teamed up with classmates to compete in the Chinese University Aircraft Design Challenge (CUADC). Facing intense competition, their team stood out with an innovative UAV design concept and a rigorous technical proposal, ultimately winning the Third prize in the design category. Merely one month after that achievement, he returned to the international stage to participate in the International Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Grand Prix (UAVGP). There, he dedicated his efforts to assisting the team in tackling key challenges, ultimately contributing significantly to the team’s success in securing the Second prize, thereby reaching new heights in international competition. In recognition of his outstanding performance and active participation across these competitions, Aleksander was awarded the First prize in NPU’s 2024 “Soaring Across Globe” Summer Program under the theme “Showcasing Excellence in International Competitions”. He has become a exemplary figure among international students at NPU.
In July 2025, he returned to compete in the ICMTC UAV Competition. Building upon his accumulated experience, he collaborated seamlessly with his team and executed their strategy with precision. Their concerted efforts were rewarded with the Third Prize, a testament to their outstanding overall performance. Now, with his recent achievement of winning the World Runner-up award at the NFC 2025, Aleksander continues to set new personal bests on the global stage. His journey not only demonstrates his growing expertise in the field of aeronautics but also vividly embodies the NPU spirit of pursuing excellence and striving for the highest peaks, showcasing the caliber of NPU students to the world.
A Message from Aleksander Pilarski
“I am deeply honored to have won the 2nd Place at the New Flying Competition (Germany, 2025), a prestigious international UAV design and build competition focusing on efficiency, payload capacity, and sustainability. This achievement reflects not only my personal effort but also the dedication of my teammates and the strong support from NPU. Pursuing your dreams at NPU starts with defining a clear goal—know exactly what you want to achieve and why it matters to you. NPU provides opportunity, The school offer tools, but it’s up to you to discover and use them. Success requires persistence and hard work. When many of my friends spent holidays relaxing at home, I, together with my Chinese teammates in the aeromodelling team, spent ten hours a day in the lab. Dedication makes the difference.”
Looking ahead, we are confident that more outstanding international students, imbued with the same fervor and relentless dedication as Aleksander Pilarski, will continue to shine brightly in their respective fields. They will not only be seekers of light on their own paths of personal growth but will also serve as bridges of cross-cultural understanding. Through their unique perspectives, they will inject fresh vitality into the mutual learning between educational systems and foster collaborative advancement in science and technology.
（Source: Internatinal College; Translators: Li Yiwen, Mei Leyun）
