Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development
The Honourable Andrew Fraser

Friday, September 11, 2009

Students’ flying machines set to take off

High-tech remote-controlled aircraft developed by high school students have taken to the skies today in preparation for the UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue aerospace competition.

Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development Andrew Fraser visited Brisbane’s Aviation High today to see aircraft developed by students soaring about the school’s oval.

He said the unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs) would be entered in the upcoming UAV Challenge, which will be held at Kingaroy from 28 September to 1 October.

The event has attracted 24 entries, including 12 teams from five high schools.

Mr Fraser said $70,000 in prizemoney was at stake for winning teams in four categories.

“The competition requires students to work in teams to build an unmanned airborne vehicle using high-tech components, and then operate as a ground crew to direct the aircraft during the judging process,” he said.

“In the students’ category, teams must use a camera onboard the UAV to locate a target zone on the airstrip, and then direct the UAV to drop a chocolate bar on it.”

Mr Fraser said the students’ category was the lead-up event to the $50,000 Search and Rescue Challenge, which was open to university and industry entrants from around the world.

“This extremely difficult category, which has never been won in the two-year history of the event, requires teams to build and operate a UAV to locate a lost bushwalker in surrounding bushland and drop supplies to him,” he said.

“The fact we have high school students who can build and operate a UAV to compete in this competition bodes well for the future of Queensland’s aerospace industry.”

Mr Fraser said the event was designed to promote both technology development and the usefulness of UAVs to modern society.

“UAVs are potentially extremely valuable for countries such as Australia with large, relatively unpopulated areas and long coastlines,” he said.

“Ultimately, they’ll have a range of uses including coastal surveillance, aiding in power line maintenance and bush fire patrols.”

Aviation High teachers Jack Clark and Steve Wright said the school’s two teams of five students entering the challenge had been preparing for the competition since September last year.

“The students are exceptionally keen – two to three times a week they’re here in the workshops at 8am before school, and after school until we have to drive them out at 4.30pm,” Mr Wright said.

“Sometimes we have to say ‘look guys – we have to have a life!’”

Mr Wright said Aviation High was a centre of excellence for aviation studies, and its year 8 to 12 students were interested in careers ranging from aircraft maintenance engineering and piloting to cabin crew.

“We’re very confident the students will perform well at the challenge,” he said.

The UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue is a joint initiative between the Queensland Government and the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (a partnership between the Queensland University of Technology and CSIRO).

For more information about the competition visit www.uavoutbackchallenge.com.au

Media contact: Treasurer's office – 3224 5982 or 3224 6361

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