When an aircraft reaches the end of its life, millions of dollars’ worth of avionics equipment can remain locked inside, difficult to access, risky to remove, and often lost to waste. A team of students from the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering is working to change that.
Thisal Dissanayake, Sherman Yuen, James Yu and Kah Kiat Ong have placed in the Top 10 globally at the Siemens × Sony Immersive Design Challenge, competing against nearly 1,900 participants worldwide.
All four are undergraduate students in mechanical and mechatronic engineering, combining complementary strengths in design, systems thinking, and applied technology.
Their solution, AVION XR, uses immersive technology to transform how high-value aircraft components are identified, recovered, and reused.
Using AR/VR and digital twin technology, they have created an interactive model of an aircraft, allowing engineers to visualise complex systems before any physical work begins.
As team leader Thisal Dissanayake explained, the goal is to give engineers immediate clarity.
“You put this headset on, and you can see which components are valuable, how to extract them, and whether it’s worth doing, before you even touch the aircraft,” he said.
The problem the team set out to solve was both technical, commercial and environmental. While avionics systems are designed to last for decades, the knowledge needed to safely recover and reuse them is often lost over time. As a result, valuable components can be discarded simply because extraction is too complex or uncertain.
Motivated by this challenge, the team focused on enabling better decision-making during disassembly, helping ensure that valuable materials are recovered rather than wasted. Their approach aligns with broader priorities around responsible consumption and production, supporting more sustainable practices in aviation.
For Kah Kiat Ong, the experience highlighted the importance of engaging with industry early, and how reaching out and connecting with professionals gave the team valuable insight into how their ideas could translate into practice.
The concept was shaped through close collaboration with industry, including professionals from Honeywell and Boeing, as well as a site visit to HeliMods on the Sunshine Coast. These insights revealed that much of the expertise in aircraft disassembly is highly specialised and not widely shared, something the team set out to address.
Kiat explained, “we didn’t just want a concept - we wanted something industry would actually use, so getting that input early on really helped shape what we built.”
Bringing the idea together was not without its challenges. With tight deadlines and multiple complex elements to coordinate, the team had to work quickly and collaboratively to deliver a cohesive solution.
Team member James Yu said the team dug deep to get the project finished in time.
“We all pulled together, splitting up the tasks and playing to each other’s strengths to get it over the line, it was really rewarding to take what we’d learned in class and apply it to something real, building something meaningful.”
The experience also reshaped how they viewed engineering itself.
As Thisal Dissanayake reflected, “it’s not just about calculations, you’re talking to stakeholders, pitching ideas, and solving real problems. Making connections within our School was really valuable too. Everyone was so open and willing to support us”
Head of School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, Professor Ross McAree, said the achievement highlights the depth of capability students can develop when they extend themselves.
“This kind of result comes from more than technical ability,” he said. “It reflects students who are curious, willing to go beyond their studies, and prepared to test their ideas in complex and uncertain environments.”
The team is now exploring opportunities to further develop AVION XR and hopes their experience encourages others to take part in similar challenges.
Thisal encouraged others to give the competition a go: “Don’t wait until you feel ready, just get involved.”
