Yishane Kao

Featured Projects

INV-X1 Alatus fixed-wing UAV, CAD render
In Progress June 2026 – Present

INV-X1 "Alatus"

Custom Fixed-Wing UAS

A custom fixed-wing UAV built from the ground up: aerodynamic sizing, SolidWorks structural design for the wing ribs and fuselage, and a custom ATmega328P-based avionics system for sensing, telemetry, and flight stabilization. Every structural part is 3D printed and assembled with heat-set inserts for durability.

  • SolidWorks Part Modelling
  • SolidWorks Assemblies
  • Aerodynamics
  • Avionics
  • 3D Printing
  • Embedded Systems
  • Fluid Mechanics
View full write-up →
Compact Mechanical Wallet, closed, on a white background
Completed June 2026

Compact Mechanical Wallet

Product Design & Rapid Prototyping

A 3D-printed smart wallet combining an AirTag mount, money clip, cascading card mechanism, and snap-lock closure, refined through several rounds of prototyping for fit, usability, and long-term manufacturability. The final cascading mechanism holds five cards after evaluating four earlier concepts.

  • SolidWorks Part Modelling
  • 3D Printing
  • Product Design
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • Mechanical Design
  • SolidWorks Assemblies
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Orex Gripper servo-actuated grippers, mounted on a robotic arm
Completed June 2026 – Aug 2026

Orex Gripper

Servo-Actuated Grippers

A servo-actuated TPU gripper for a modular robotic arm, driven by an HX-30 HiWonder serial bus servo. Modeled as a SolidWorks assembly focused on mechanical efficiency and manufacturability, then fabricated with FDM 3D printing. Capable of securing objects over 80mm wide and payloads above 500g.

  • SolidWorks Part Modelling
  • 3D Printing
  • SolidWorks Assemblies
  • Servo Control
  • OnShape Assemblies
View full write-up →
Claw Kent robotic claw, assembled with sheet metal, servo, and sonar sensor
Completed January 2026

Claw Kent

Robotic Retrieval System

A sheet-metal robotic claw with ultrasonic sonar sensor feedback for object detection, fabricated with hand tools and modeled in SolidWorks, built to grip and retrieve objects reliably without a separate manual trigger for the grab. A crane and string handle positioning while the sensor handles the grip.

  • SolidWorks Part Modelling
  • Sheet Metal
  • Sensors
  • Servo Control
  • C++ Programming
  • Arduino
View full write-up →

Mini CAD Projects

CAD render of a fixed-wing UAS with four tilting rotor nacelles mounted on booms

UAS Tilt Rotor Build

Fixed-wing airframe with two front tilting motors, modelled for the 2026 UAS team application.

CAD render of a tall medical kit enclosure with a red cross on the front panel

MedPack

MedPack, one of 3 modular backpacks for the SailBot Design Challenge, with a red-cross front panel and a side-mounted canister.

CAD render of a two-ring clamp bracket mounting a laser pointer onto an airsoft gun rail

Laser Mount

A two-ring clamp that mounts a laser pointer onto an airsoft gun.

CAD render of a flat keychain tag embossed with D-4

Keychain

A flat keychain tag, made for APSC 100 CAD challenge.

CAD render of an angled camera mounting bracket with a square aperture

Camera Mount

An angled bracket with a square aperture and bolt holes for mounting a camera onto an airsoft gun.

CAD render of a wedge-shaped part with a cylindrical boss and through-hole

Speed CAD

A wedge-shaped part with a cylindrical boss, modelled against the clock as a speed-CAD exercise, placed runner up in the SailBot SpeedCad challenge.

CAD render of a cylindrical motor mount with a counterbored bolt pattern and central boss

Motor Mount

A cylindrical motor mount with a counterbored bolt pattern around a central boss, designed for the 2025 UAS interview design challenge.

CAD render of a transparent toothpaste dispenser with a roller bar and hinged lid

Toothpaste Dispenser

A dispenser that squeezes a tube through a roller bar, with a hinged lid on top.

Currently Exploring

A running list of what I'm picking up or curious about right now:

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