Student club Meister second at 2026 Japan International Birdman Rally
Meister, an official Science Tokyo student club, has finished second in the 2026 Japan International Birdman Rally, held at Lake Biwa in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture in late July. The team competed in the human-powered propeller-driven aircraft category of the competition, the 48th of its kind, and finished second out of twelve teams with a flight distance of 22,722.17 meters. The results were officially withheld until the event was broadcast on Japanese television on September 2.
On the first day of the competition, strong winds persisted throughout the afternoon, and Meister’s initially scheduled flight was postponed to the second day. The team overcame the unexpected situation with the help of alumni and other supporters, and was able to fly on a relatively cool, calm morning. Not only did Meister accomplish the team’s first-ever turn at the 11-kilometer point of the course on Lake Biwa, but they also completed a second turn at the following pylon marker near the takeoff platform. Meister ultimately secured second place and recorded the second-best result in the team’s history.
The aircraft created by Meister for this year’s competition was called FLÜGEL, which translates to wing in German.
Comments from participating students
Meister representative Kohta Shimizu
3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Despite a postponement caused by strong winds this year, we received help from so many people, making this a competition that truly highlighted the size and greatness of Meister. Driven by my desire to carry on the organization built by our seniors, I served as team representative for the past year. We overcame numerous challenges and were able to achieve great results thanks to our pilots, team members, and the seniors and supporters who stood by us. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those involved. We ask for your continued support as Meister continues to grow.
FLÜGEL Pilot Takumi Narushima
3rd year, Systems and Control Engineering
This year, I took on the role of the pilot in Meister. Our goal was to make our first-ever turn and return to the second pylon marker near the takeoff platform. During the actual flight, I put my trust in the practice I had gone through with my teammates, and was able to reach the 22.7-kilometer mark. In particular, the moment we successfully executed the turn, which had been our aim for a long time, felt like all our hard work had finally paid off. It made me truly happy.
During these past two years as a pilot, while the training and flight practice often presented challenges, what made this experience truly irreplaceable for me was the opportunity to work alongside the colleagues who built this aircraft and take on this challenge together toward a common goal. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me.
FLÜGEL Designer Hiyu Takahashi
3rd year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Our goal this year was to successfully complete a pylon turn near the takeoff platform at the 21-kilometer mark. In recent years, Meister had been going through a frustrating period — even though we recorded a 14-kilometer flight in 2024, we still fell short of our target. Therefore, we focused not only on aircraft construction but also on operational methods to identify issues and make repeated improvements. On the day of the event, we faced an unforeseen delay due to strong winds, which forced us to postpone the flight to the following day. However, on the rescheduled flight day, we were blessed with favorable weather conditions and managed to fly 22.7 kilometers, successfully achieving our goal. This result was made possible not only by our team members but also thanks to the support of Meister alumni, sponsoring companies, and everyone who made donations.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Meister has experienced rapid growth. We look forward to continued progress in the future and sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
FLÜGEL Designer Wataru Takebe
3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Meister flew 22.7 kilometers and secured second place in this competition. Above all, I am incredibly happy that we were able to accomplish the pylon turn — a long-cherished goal for Meister. Last year ended in a very disappointing result with a failed takeoff. That is precisely why it felt so good this year to redeem ourselves for our seniors and, most importantly, to bring smiles to the faces of the teammates who built the aircraft and journeyed alongside us all this time.
This result was not achieved by the current members alone. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the alumni who have built and supported Meister’s activities over the years, as well as to everyone who has cheered us on and supported us day in and day out. Meister will continue to take on new challenges, aiming for better aircraft and better records. We are grateful for your continued support and encouragement.
Meister 2026 members
Wing Group
Group Head Junnosuke Shishido, 3rd year, Life Science and Technology
Hibiki Tanihata, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Takumi Narushima, 3rd year, Systems and Control Engineering
Riko Suzuki, 3rd year, Chemistry, Ochanomizu University
Kanna Kawasaki, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Kazuki Fuwa, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Yutaro Nakatani, 2nd year, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Teru Sugimoto, 2nd year, Information and Communications Engineering
CFRP Frame Group
Group Head Kosuke Ogawa, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Hiyu Takahashi, 3rd year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Shusuke Yamagata, 3rd year, Life Science and Technology
Rintaro Miyakoshi, 2nd year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Keiichi Murata, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Ryota Suzuki, 2nd year, Materials Science and Engineering
Propeller Group
Group Head Kobushi Doi, 3rd year, Life Science and Technology
Wataru Takebe, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Sho Tashiro, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Shunya Yamada, 2nd year, Materials Science and Engineering
RYoga Sakurama, 2nd year, Industrial Engineering and Economics
Fairing Group
Group Head Shuki Kaita, 3rd year, Chemical Science and Engineering
Mayuko Kanazawa, 3rd year, Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Shuntaro Araki, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Mihou Tachikawa, 2nd year, Systems and Control Engineering
Electrical Equipment Group
Group Head Naoya Ebata, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Tanjo Kosuke, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Kohta Shimizu, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Yushi Ohse, 2nd year, Chemical Science and Engineering
Yuta Maehara, 2nd year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Motoharu Onodera, 2nd year, Mathematical and Computing Science
Taiga Iwata, 2nd year, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Drivetrain Group
Group Head Shiyu Nakazawa, 3rd year, Materials Science and Engineering
Mikihisa Nagase, 3rd year, Mechanical Engineering
Haruto Nakayama, 2nd year, Mechanical Engineering
Meister posts updates in Japanese on their activities on their official blog, X, and Instagram.