March 29, 2024

Unmanned Aerial Competition Comes to St. Mary’s

Unmanned Aerial

The skies over Webster Field will be buzzing from June 12 to 15, 2019,  as the Seafarer Chapter of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International hosts the annual Student Unmanned Aerial System Competition. The Patuxent Partnership is helping to publicize the event.

The focus of the competition is to challenge undergraduate students with an event that requires the design, fabrication, and demonstration of an autonomous UAS that can complete a wide range of specific tasks. In 2018, $70,700 in prize money was awarded to 47 teams — 22 US colleges, 22 international colleges from eight different countries, and three high schools.

Businesses and vendors are invited to sponsor the competition.

Judges are also needed for the event. Volunteer judges are a critical part of the competition, and The Patuxent Partnership is once again looking for volunteers. There are various levels of commitment for volunteer judges, including the evaluation of technical papers written by the students, evaluation of the Flight Readiness Review Video, and, of course, the actual flight competition.

This event is held at the US Navy’s Webster Field, site of the Unmanned Aerial System Test & Evaluation Directorate, supporting a UAS center of excellence for development and test nestled right in the heart of scenic Chesapeake Bay area in historic St. Mary’s County, MD.

The point of the competition is to stimulate and foster interest in unmanned systems, technologies, and careers.

Student teams at the event are judged on their design and flight performance. This is a great student recruitment opportunity of future engineers, scientists, and leaders. A post event awards banquet is always a highlight to interact with students and peers.

Universities and student groups can indicate their interest in the 2019 competition now by contacting the AUVSI Seafarer Chapter and SUAS Competition organizers.

Industry and government organizations can be a part of this exciting, high-tech, high-talent and high-fun event. For more sponsorship and partnership opportunities information, contact AUVSI Seafarer Chapter organizers.

About The Patuxent Partnership

The Patuxent Partnership is a nonprofit member organization that fosters collaboration between government, industry, and academia to advance education through STEM-based initiatives; to advance technology through speaker programs, forums, and networking; to advance science and technology transfer through the exchange of ideas, information, and data related to technologies; and to increase workforce development through an array of initiatives.

To learn more about The Patuxent Partnership and its programs, visit its Leader member page.

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