An international drone competition will return to North Wales in June — with Welsh government backing and a home team from Wrexham Glyndwr University competing.

The UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Challenge — organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (ImechE) — has attracted a record 32 teams this year, comprising hundreds of young engineers from as far afield as Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Canada, along with first-timers from Denmark and the Netherlands.

It will be staged over three days (16-18 June) at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre in Llanbedr.

ImechE chief executive Colin Brown (www.imeche.org), said: “We are delighted that the Welsh government is supporting the competition.

The Challenge brings leading-edge drone technology to North Wales; this will raise the area’s aerospace profile internationally and help develop the regional skills base.”

The event benefits from the excellent facilities and infrastructure at the Snow-donia Aerospace Centre — a well-known drone testing site that provides a supportive environment for developing this technology and forming alliances with
academic and industry partners.

The Challenge will give the participants an insight into the role of aerospace engineering in real-world projects, and it will require a great deal of innovation from them.