Fascination for Drones takes Scholar to New Heights
Jeonghwan “James” ’26 is fascinated by drones. So fascinated, in fact, that he cofounded Kimball Union’s first-ever drone club last year. It shouldn’t be surprising then, that when presented with the opportunity to pursue an interest of his choosing for his Cullman Scholarship experience, James’s thinking soared directly to drones.
Seeking to get a taste of both the mechanical and operational aspects of the unmanned aircrafts, as well as practical commercial usages, James designed a nine-week experience in his home country of South Korea.
Considered among KUA’s highest honors, the Cullman Scholarship Program was established in 1983 with a gift from Hugh Cullman ’42 and supports students in off-campus study opportunities. In 2025, James and nine other students were awarded scholarships to pursue an area of study of their choosing that develops leadership skills, global and environmental awareness, and service to others.
“I’ve been interested in aircrafts and things like that since I was really young,” said James . “I thought hoverboards from the Back to the Future movies were the coolest things and so I think that’s where I really became interested in the concept of hovering and flying.”
James spent the first portion of his experience working alongside Kim Gun Hong, Ph.D., a graduate of the prestigious Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology and professor at Jeonju University. Under Hong’s tutelage, James worked to design, build, and test a single-copter drone inspired — at least loosely — on the infamous X-wing starfighter featured in the Star Wars movie franchise.
Using computer software to design the concept for the drone, he then refined the design to include mounting holes to ensure that all parts fit together precisely. Once a prototype was created, James tested his creation.
“Our goal was to build a system that could stay balanced and maneuver using only one electric ducted fan and four small fins to redirect airflow,” James explained. “It was a difficult concept because controlling stability with one thruster means the drone has no counter rotating parts to balance torque and yaw. The journey was full of trial and error, but it taught me invaluable lessons about engineering, perseverance, and innovation.”
For the final portion of his experience, James traveled to South Korea’s JeJu Islandto observe a drone-delivery operation between the island and mainland. He observed a meticulous process in which operators inspect all aspects of the drones — including battery life — and review flight paths and weather patterns before launching.
Once in the air, however, it took drones just 15 minutes to cross the ocean and deliver supplies such as fresh seafood.
“Seeing this process made me realize how drones can bridge physical gaps between remote communities and provide reliable, low-cost transport where traditional methods can’t,” said James, adding that safety regulations have prevented the practice from being utilized in more densely populated areas.
James is pursuing a related project for his capstone in the Giles Family STEM Scholar Program in which he hopes to create a safe and reliable autonomous drone delivery system for KUA.
James thanked the Cullman family for funding the experience, as well as friends, faculty, and other mentors who encouraged him to apply for the scholarship. He said future KUA students shouldn’t hesitate to apply themselves, even if they’re not exactly sure what they want to pursue.
Sometimes, he acknowledged, the tricky parts can be the most rewarding.
“Through this Cullman experience, I strengthened my passion for engineering and reminded myself that development comes from asking questions and building the answers yourself,” said James, who said he plans to study engineering or physics in college. “I learned that failure is not wasted time and that it instead can lead you to the next breakthrough.”