Mechanical engineer · UAS & defense

Griffin Collier

Mechanical engineering senior at Auburn University, graduating May 2027, with two years of experience in autonomous aerial systems and counter-UAS technology. I work across CAD, composite and additive manufacturing, and fabrication, with working knowledge of electronics, CFD, FEA, and motion analysis.

See the workGet in touchDownload résumé

At eleven, I designed a barge with a conveyor to pull drifting logs out of my grandmother's lake. I've been building things that solve real problems ever since. Today that means unmanned aircraft: counter-drone hardware, research airframes, and the tools to build them.

Experience

SCI Technology · Co-op

AeroGuard

Hardware design, analysis, and flight test for an autonomous counter-drone system.

Read more ↓ Auburn VSDDL · Researcher

Subscale VTOL research

Aircraft sizing, stability and control, and flight simulation for novel VTOL configurations.

Read more ↓ Purdue Aerial Robotics Team

SUAS airframe

Carbon fiber fuselage and wings for a competition UAV. 13th of 72 teams.

Read more ↓ Auburn Senior Design

AFRL counter-UAS

A man-portable counter-sUAS system for small tactical teams, post-PDR.

Read more ↓
AeroGuard counter-drone hardware AeroGuard component or flight test
[AeroGuard photos, only if approved by SCI]

SCI Technology, Huntsville, AL · Mechanical Engineering Co-op (3 semesters) · Jan 2024 – Aug 2025

AeroGuard counter-drone system

Across a full year of co-op in three non-consecutive semesters, I worked full-time on a multidisciplinary team designing and building AeroGuard, a fully autonomous counter-drone system that rapidly neutralizes aerial threats. I designed and manufactured mission-critical, aerospace-grade hardware, validated it with FEA in MSC Nastran and CFD in FloEFD, and produced professional drawings applying GD&T. I prototyped with waterjet cutting, machining, and 3D printing, built wire harnesses and battery packs, and integrated motors, ESCs, and other electrical components. Hardware and flight testing, vehicle analysis, and design iteration drove reliability and efficiency. Along the way I managed revisions in SolidWorks PDM, worked in Scrum sprints, and used AI tools to speed up engineering workflows and documentation.

  • SolidWorks
  • SolidWorks PDM
  • MSC Nastran
  • FloEFD
  • GD&T
  • Waterjet
  • Machining
  • Flight testing
  • Scrum
↑ Back to experience
VSDDL lab work Subscale research aircraft
[Lab and aircraft photos]

Auburn VSDDL · Undergraduate Researcher · Jun 2026 – Present

Subscale VTOL research

In Auburn's Vehicle Systems, Dynamics, and Design Lab, I spend 15+ hours a week on aircraft sizing and optimization, stability and control analysis, flight simulation, and subscale prototyping of novel VTOL configurations. I redesigned and built the lab's CNC hot-wire foam cutter (see Projects), engineering its motion-control electronics and mechanical hardware to increase cutting size and improve reliability. I also designed a custom crate to safely ship a 7-foot subscale research aircraft.

  • Aircraft sizing
  • Stability and control
  • Flight simulation
  • Subscale prototyping
↑ Back to experience
Carbon fiber airframe Carbon fiber wet layup
[Airframe and layup photos]

Purdue Aerial Robotics Team, Purdue University · Airframe Team Member · Aug 2022 – May 2023

AUVSI-SUAS competition airframe

I helped design and manufacture an autonomous UAV for the AUVSI-SUAS Competition, built for surveillance, search and rescue, and payload delivery. Over 200 hours, I modeled the aircraft in Siemens NX, made MDF molds, wet-laid carbon fiber for the fuselage and wings, and bonded the foam and plywood internal structure. I also picked up shop experience on the Dremel, drill press, oscillating multi-tool, belt sander, and scroll saw. The team placed 13th overall out of 72.

  • Siemens NX
  • Mold making
  • Carbon fiber wet layup
  • Shop fabrication
↑ Back to experience
AFRL counter-UAS concept render
[Concept renders, when cleared]

Auburn Senior Design · Aug 2026 – Present

AFRL counter-UAS challenge

Our team is developing a man-portable counter-sUAS system for the Air Force Research Laboratory to protect small tactical teams from Group 1 drone threats. Working with subject-matter experts, we defined a lightweight scouting and surveillance mission, and I co-authored our 80-page Preliminary Design Review evaluating three concepts across the detect, identify, track, and neutralize kill chain. In progress.

  • Systems design
  • Concept trade studies
  • Design reviews
  • Technical writing
↑ Back to experience

Timeline

  1. 2021

    Purdue University

    Mechanical engineering coursework, 59 credit hours.

  2. 2022–23

    Airframe Team Member, Purdue Aerial Robotics Team

    Joined the airframe team and built carbon fiber structures for a competition UAV. Toured Airbus Hamburg and the Farnborough Air Show on a study abroad.

  3. 2023

    Transferred to Auburn University

    Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with a minor in finance.

  4. 2024–25

    Mechanical Engineering Co-op, SCI Technology

    January 2024 through August 2025. Three rotations designing, building, and flight-testing AeroGuard, an autonomous counter-drone system.

  5. 2025

    Co-op & Internship Ambassador, Auburn University

    With the Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations, mentored freshmen and sophomores through applying, onboarding, and accepting offers. Presented my co-op experience to student organizations and classes, and helped organize and run on-campus career fairs.

  6. 2026–Present

    Undergraduate Researcher, VSDDL

    Built the lab's CNC foam cutter, started VTOL research, and began the AFRL counter-UAS senior design project.

Skills

Organized the way an aircraft comes together, from first sketch to flight.

  1. 01

    Design

    • Siemens NX
    • SolidWorks
    • SolidWorks PDM
    • Motion analysis
    • GD&T drawings
    • Design for manufacturing
  2. 02

    Analyze

    • FEA (MSC Nastran, ANSYS Mechanical)
    • CFD (FloEFD)
    • Stability and control
    • Flight simulation
    • Vehicle analysis
  3. 03

    Manufacture

    • Carbon fiber layup
    • Mold making
    • FDM and SLA printing
    • SolidWorks CAM
    • Waterjet cutting
    • Manual mill and lathe
    • Hot-wire foam cutting
  4. 04

    Integrate

    • Wire harnesses
    • Soldering and crimping
    • Battery packs
    • Motors and ESCs
    • Stepper motion control
  5. 05

    Code & Test

    • Hardware testing
    • Flight testing
    • Design iteration
    • Agile / Scrum
    • Python
    • MATLAB
    • C / C++
    • Java
    • JavaScript
Credentials
  • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot
  • U.S. Citizen

Projects

CNC Hot-Wire Foam Cutter

CNC hot-wire foam cutter CAD render
[Replace with CAD render]
Foam cutter wiring and motion-control electronics
[Replace with wiring photo]
[Replace with cutting video]
Design

Redesigning the frame

Started from an open-source design and reworked its specs to enlarge the cutting envelope, then built the MDF frame on table, miter, and band saws.

Wire

Building the electrical system

Engineered the motion-control electronics and built every harness, with 3D-printed mounts that line the heat sinks up with the cooling fan.

Cut

Cutting foam cores

About 150 hours later, the lab can cut wing and fuselage cores for composite subscale aircraft.

Flight testing

Every design on this page ends the same way: on the flight line, where test data decides the next iteration.

Flight line test
[Full-width flight photo or video loop]