Institution news
Whether you work in aerospace or a related mechanical engineering discipline, your expertise at the UAS Challenge will ensure a rewarding experience for hundreds of young engineers, supporting their skills development, and contribute to the delivery of this exciting and growing competition.
This is a great opportunity to share your industry knowledge with young engineers, contribute to a fun and exciting engineering competition, and connect with a well-established community of senior aerospace and defence industry professionals.
Volunteer opportunities
The competition is looking for engineers to undertake the following judging roles:
Competition Judges play a vital role in reviewing and scoring the submissions from teams at specific points throughout the challenge year. This is a hybrid role, with submissions being scored in late winter 2026 and early Spring 2027 online and then joining in-person for presentation judging during the finals event at BMFA Buckminster in the UK next July.
Simulation Judges are responsible for scoring the simulation component of the competition, reviewing teams’ X-Plane models and corresponding flight test reports. This role can be carried out completely online, with judging taking place between February and April 2027.
Full details of both roles are available on the UAS Challenge website.
About the UAS Challenge
As one of the UK's leading engineering competitions, the UAS Challenge will bring together over 80 university teams from around the world to design, build and operate an unmanned aerial system to carry out a simulated fire-fighting mission.
The competition is an integral part of the IMechE's education and outreach efforts, and enables students to compliment their university studies and academic knowledge with a real-world engineering project. Young engineers who participate gain valuable experience of working as a team and practical engineering skills, preparing them for their first roles in industry.
Watch the 2026 highlights here:
How to apply
To apply for one or both roles, please write to the UAS Challenge (uaschallenge@imeche.org) with your contact details and either your CV or LinkedIn profile outlining your suitability.
Guidance will be supplied for each volunteer role and for those joining the finals event, accommodation, catering, and reasonable contributions to travel will be provided.
If you are passionate about engineering and keen to support the next generation, volunteering with UAS Challenge 2027 is a rewarding way to make an impact. We look forward to receiving your application.