The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently issued a Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) competition.
The challenge? Design and build a cost-effective drone that carries the biggest payload and stays airborne the longest. The top ten designs in the Unmanned Aerial Systems Flight and Payload Challenge compete for prize awards totaling $432,000.
Hosted by NIST Public Safety Communications Research Program, the challenge consists of three stages. Stage 1, concept paper submission, closes January 29, 2018 at 3pm ET.
In addition, finalists will showcase the UAS with paid travel to the NIST Robotics Lab and the 2018 PSCR Stakeholder conference.
Results from the UAS Flight and Payload Challenge
support the public safety community and its stakeholders.
The challenge
Currently, one of the barriers for UAS used in a public safety realm is payload versus flight time. Multi-rotor UAS offer users many capabilities. However, limited flight time is still a very real challenge. Flight time is further reduced with the addition of a payload.
Of course, payload capacity, energy source and flight time are all linked. Optimized design trade-offs can provide greater efficiency and flexibility.
The focus of this design challenge is to keep the UAS, and its payload, airborne for the longest time possible.
Such enhanced capacity supports first responders’ communication technology on the ground while they conduct their search.
The advancement of UAS research will help search and rescue operations support payloads for wireless communications or other life-saving goods to save lives.
There are no fees or qualifications needed to enter the first stage. Stage 1 winning ideas are eligible for remaining stages of the competition.
