2017 UAS4STEM National Competition

On Saturday, August 19th, high school students from across the US competed in the UAS4STEM National Competition at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. The student teams built their own drones and competed in a search-and-rescue challenge for the national title. The contest is designed to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. The 2017 UAS4STEM Search and Rescue Challenge’s first-place winners are MMRT from Peachtree City, Georgia, who were awarded a trophy, medals, and a $2,500 cash prize. The Quad Raptors of Maryland took second place, and the St. Mary’s CAP Squadron-Blue of Maryland took third place.

The Dewey O. Broberg Jr. scholarship was also awarded to one of the competitors during the UAS4STEM national competition. The award recognized a team member who showed dedication, determination, and adherence to the rules and purpose of the competition. Congratulations to Robbie Van Zyl, the recipient of the 2017 Dewey Broberg Jr. Memorial Scholarship. The Academy of Model Aeronautics Foundation would like to thank the family of Dewey O. Broberg Jr. for establishing this scholarship, and thank each supporter who has made contributions to the fund.

UAS4STEM is organized by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), which is the largest association of model aircraft hobbyists, with more than 190,000 members across the country. UAS4STEM was designed by the AMA to encourage teamwork, competition, and success through a STEM-based education platform. The UAS4STEM program provides student teams of four to eight people with training, insurance, and equipment to compete in search-and-rescue challenges. The program is managed by AMA’s Education department as part of AMA Flight School. Each of the teams that participated in the national competition earned their spot by qualifying at one of the many regional competitions held throughout the country.

Congratulations to MMRT for winning the 2017 UAS4STEM Search and Rescue Challenge! Details about this year’s event including photos, video, and how to sign up to compete next year can be found on the UAS4STEM website, https://www.uas4stem.org/.