Bolles Resident Life student Sascha Macht ’25 has taken his passion for engineering to new heights – literally. With guidance from Bolles Fab Lab specialist Nick D’Angelo, Macht designed and 3D printed a fully functional first-person view (FPV) drone in the Kappaz Fabrication Lab this spring.

The project began in his Engineering class in the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation, where Macht first explored design and fabrication by building a small car. Inspired by that success, he decided to take on a more ambitious challenge outside of class: creating a drone from scratch. Working closely with D’Angelo, Macht utilized the School’s advanced 3D printing technology to bring his vision to life.

The result is a high-performance drone with a six-mile range, equipped with FPV capabilities that allow Macht to pilot it using specialized goggles that provide a real-time, immersive view from the drone’s perspective.

“Sascha’s drone project is a perfect example of what’s possible when students take ownership of their learning,” said D’Angelo. “He combined creativity, problem-solving and technical know-how to build something truly impressive.”

Engineering runs in the family – Macht’s father is also an engineer, and Sascha plans to follow in his footsteps. This fall, he will attend the University of Georgia, where he will continue his academic journey while competing as a student-athlete on the swim team.

Well done, Sascha – we’re #BulldogProud of your innovation and excited to see what you’ll build next! #BollesInnovates