The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has launched the 2019 UAS Challenge, the fifth year of the competition that challenges student engineers to design, build and then fly their drones in a three-day ‘fly-off’ event at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre (16-18 June).
The competition — for students from UK and international universities — has grown from 12 teams in 2015 to 25 teams and 300 participants in 2018.
For the 2019 Challenge, the participating teams are to assume that a natural disaster has occurred, with a large stretch of remote coastal area devastated by an earthquake and tsunami.
The drones have to deliver aid to the affected area.
Peter Finegold, head of education at the IMechE, said: “The UAS Challenge continues to go from strength to strength. As well as providing a platform for the creativity and technical skill of engineering students, it reinforces how highly employers value participation in authentic project-based design solutions.”
Jon du Bois, senior lecturer at the University of Bath, said: “The IMechE UAS Challenge has provided a great focal point for our teaching on autonomous systems and aircraft design.”
“Being part of a multi-disciplinary team is a valuable experience.
Overall, it has provided us with a fun and engaging way to inject deeper learning into our degrees.”
The 2019 Challenge will include an expanded STEM programme, which will see local schoolchildren invited to attend the ‘fly-off’.
More information about volunteering, sponsoring or participating in the Challenge can be found at the Web site (
www.imeche.org/uaschallenge).