This is Version 1 of my 3D-printed hand-launch glider, designed in Onshape. It’s a simple, lightweight plane meant for fun tosses indoors or outdoors.

Design details

Wingspan: ~400 mm

Fuselage length: ~250 mm

Tailplane: ~120 mm

Printed in PLA with thin walls for low weight

Issues noticed (V1)

Flies straight but tends to be too nose-heavy, which makes the glide short.

Adding a bit of weight to the tail helps balance.

V2 will aim for better weight distribution.

Printing tips

Print in PLA with 0% infill, 1–2 walls, 2 top/bottom layers.

Keep it light – under 70 g total.

If you cut into parts, glue with CA glue or epoxy.

Assembly

Glue fuselage pieces together.

Reinforce wing joints with a bamboo skewer or carbon rod.

Future improvements

Adjust center of gravity

Add dihedral for stability

Experiment with LW-PLA for lighter flight