U.C. Berkeley SAE AERO Club Engineering students, SJWM test pilot Rick Maida and SJWM supporters, preparing for the club’s 2025 test flight at SCCMAS Tomcats Field in Morgan Hill, California.

Community Service

San Jose Wavemasters RC Club has supported Bay Area students who are engaged in understanding aeronautics, plus designing, building and flying RC aircraft.

Youth Memberships:

Please our Membership Page for Youth Membership opportunities.

Youth Equipment Donations and Youth Flight Instruction:

Due to privacy and youth protection considerations, please contact our club officers regarding youth flight training or equipment donations designated for youth.

Youth Services:

SJWM was asked to assist Engineering, Design & Development students at Saratoga High School, who wanted to learn about RC aircraft construction.

Volunteerism:

We have members who regularly volunteer at the Wings of History Air Museum in San Martin, California, providing drone flights and acting as docents for members of the public as they tour the museum hangars, which contain historic images and an array of actual historic aircraft.

Members have individually donated simple wooden gliders to youth and educators during Wings of History Kids’ Dayevents in San Martin, California, to explore the basic concepts of flight. A drone video by Andreas Olbring, one of our volunteer members, captured Kids’ Day in 2025:

https://www.wingsofhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/kids_dayv2.mp4

Test Flight Pilot Services for Startups and College Engineering Students:

Poseidon Aerospace

SJWM President Rick Maida has piloted RC test flights for the Seagull, an uncrewed seal glider, developed by Poseidon Aerospace, a startup formed by a group of Cal Poly students. The Seagull is based on the Soviet Caspian Sea Monster, which flies at low altitude to reduce drag. Poseidon Aerospace and Rick have demonstrated Poseidon UAS craft for the United States Navy, Coastguard, and other military organizations.

Some non-proprietary test flights piloted by Rick Maida may be viewed online, on the Poseidon Aerospace Web site: https://www.poseidonaero.com/ and on our San Jose Wavemasters RC Club YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5QsscsLOD8

U.C. Berkeley SAE AERO Club

On March 11, 2025 and March 27, 2026 , SJWM flight crews hosted the U.C. Berkeley SAE AERO Club for student-built RC craft test flights. SJWM President Rick Maida performed the test flights at the SCCMAS Tomcats field in Morgan Hill, California. We are happy to report that the first test flights and landings, were successful.

Two weeks later, the 2025 student crew entered their craft in the 2025 SAE AERO West competition, held in Van Nuys, California. (They honored San Jose Wavemasters RC Club by placing our logo on the fuselage of their craft.) We are happy to report that the 2025 UCB SAE AERO Club placed 3rd in the nation at that competition. Congratulations to their 12-member team for a job well done.

The U.C. Berkeley SAE AERO Club Engineering students are always looking for donations of money, balsa wood and aluminum, to complete design and construction of their next competition aircraft, plus cover travel expenses to annual competitions. Their club officers have provided this donations message:

"Although our primary crowdfunding campaign is over, we still accept much-needed donations to our club through the ASUC Donation Link. Please enter "Aerospace SAE" in the Student Organization box so the money can be directed to our club! Due to a decrease in funding from the University, your donations will help us cover a critical gap in our funding for materials like aluminum and balsa wood that we need to manufacture the plane."

These videos and images are from the U.C.B. SAE AERO Club’s SJWM-sponsored test flight on March 11, 2025.

The twelve-member, 2025 U.C. Berkeley SAE AERO CLUB Engineering students with Rick Maida, SJWM volunteer test pilot, after two successful test flights, hosted by the members of San Jose Wavemasters RC Club, on March 11, 2025.

UCB SAE AERO Club students assembling the 15-foot RC craft just before the SJWM-hosted test flight on March 11, 2025. To view their April 2025 SAE AERO West competition videos (taken two weeks later in Van Nuys) please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/live/CHGds1OjbYE?si=ECVDcg3iVaJTFcQY&t=6123

https://www.youtube.com/live/CHGds1OjbYE?si=RFD7zOs15PMbHysZ&t=16200