Written by Rich Hanson AMA President Column As seen in the Fall 2017 issue of Park Pilot.
On Saturday, August 19, 2017, high school students from across the US competed in the UAS4STEM Search and Rescue Challenge national competition at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. The student teams built their own drones and competed 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 winner is MMRT from Peachtree City, Georgia. The team was 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 placed third. The Dewey O. Broberg Jr. Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Robbie Van Zyl, one of the competitors, during the UAS4STEM competition. The award recognized a team member who showed dedication, determination, and adherence to the rules and purpose of the competition. Congratulations to Robbie. The Academy of Model Aeronautics Foundation would like to thank the family of Dewey O. Broberg Jr. for establishing this scholarship, and thanks each supporter who has made contributions to the fund. UAS4STEM is organized by the AMA, and is designed 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 its spot by qualifying at one of the many regional competitions held throughout the country. Details about this year’s event and how to sign up to compete next year can be found on the UAS4STEM website at uas4stem.org. -Rich Hanson [email protected]
Article:
