Delbarton is officially home to a Guinness World Record holder. Less than a month ago, Michael Xu officially overcame the previous record for the longest duration flight of an electrically powered UAV rotorcraft. The remarkable drone the senior built remained airborne for 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 13 seconds, setting a new global standard.
Beneath this extraordinary achievement, over a year and a half of effort was put into building and perfecting his drone. This dedication stemmed from the fact that he has always loved drones ever since he received one for Christmas as a child. Ever since that fateful day, he has been observing and dabbling with drones and aircraft. His very first drone-related project was last year, where he built a solar plane with the aid of Mr. Theroux and the school. However, this drone was different as Michael built it almost exclusively by himself despite the fact that “Very few people build drones this large and there is very little documentation on how to do it.” A challenge he faced was the sheer size of the drone and how to build a light but stable frame. This step was essential for the drone to maintain controlled flight.
He credits a few Delbarton alumni “who graciously custom-milled a crucial part” and have aided him in his previous projects. Fr. Michael also notes Michael’s endeavor by commenting, ”Michael’s achievement is a remarkable example of the curiosity, discipline, and creativity that we seek to cultivate in our young men at Delbarton. His world-record accomplishment demonstrates not only technical skill but also the persistence and vision to apply knowledge in new ways.”
However, this is not the end for the talented engineer. He looks to add on to his current project by implementing a seed-dispensing system to regrow trees in devastated areas all over America. Michael expects to plant roughly a thousand trees in an hour because of the extreme range of the drone and the speed that the seed at which the dispenser will operate. He will continue his experiments in college where he hopes to major in Aerospace Engineering, which is no easy feat.
With his dedication, perseverance, and genius, Michael Xu was able to become the first person in Delbarton history to ever hold a Guinness World Record. As his journey takes flight beyond Delbarton, he will continue to inspire future students to dream bigger, build bolder, and aim higher.
