Airport, UAS Test Site New Venue for AUVSI Competition

Participants ready their UAS for flight during the 2017 Student Unmanned Aircraft System Competition held at Webster Field. This year, the contest will move to the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport in California, MD. (US Navy photo by Patrick Gordon)

The AeroPark Innovation District is California, MD, will host this year’s Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International SUAS Competition.

The 2022 competition currently has 1,000+ contestants, volunteers, and coaches registered to attend, with flight missions scheduled at 2W6 forlJune 15-18.

The Student UAS Competition (SUAS) has a long history in St. Mary’s County. Since 2002, the competition has operated at Webster Outlying Field in St. Inigoes.

The St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development said the move to the new location is a cooperative effort between AUVSI and tenants of AeroPark, including the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport (2W6), University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site, University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland, AirTec, and S. Hunt Aero.

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Student Uncrewed Aerial Systems Competition fosters interest in unmanned aerial systems, stimulates interest in UAS technologies and careers, and engages students in a challenging UAS mission. The competition requires students to design, integrate, report on, and demonstrate a UAS capable of autonomous flight and navigation, remote sensing via onboard payload sensors, and execute specific tasks.

For more information on the 2022 competition, visit AUVSI website.

To learn more about Wildewood Group, visit its Leader member page.