Drone competition helps ‘bridge gap between education and industry’

Young engineers will be challenged to design, build and operate drones as part of the IMechE’s fourth annual UAS challenge.

This year’s competition for Unmanned Aircraft Systems has 25 teams, including four international teams, and a group from last year’s winners, the University of Bath. 

The Challenge is a year-long project that requires teams to adhere to strict qualifying standards. Their drones must complete a series of tasks, including navigation, location search, and accurately delivering a package.

The teams will receive expert advice from a steering group of specialist professionals in aerospace and flight safety, and the commercial viability of the projects will be tested with Dragons’ Den-style pitches.

“Taking part in the UAS Challenge provides students with an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap between education and industry,” said Peter Finegold, head of education at IMechE. “Students are involved in an engineering project which brings theoretical knowledge to life and encourages authentic work experiences such as working in teams, to deadlines and solving real problems as they arise.”

Click here to see the full list of teams taking part in the 2018 UAS Challenge