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

Friday, September 11, 2009

Kingaroy students’ flying machines set to take off

Kingaroy State High School students are putting the final touches on their high-tech remote controlled aircraft in preparation for the UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue competition.

Sixteen aerospace-mad Kingaroy students will take part in the prestigious contest, which will be held at Kingaroy Airport from 28 September to 1 October.

Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development Andrew Fraser said $70,000 in prize money was at stake for winning teams in four categories.

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

“The competition requires students to work in teams to build an unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV) 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.”

Kingaroy State High School teacher David Hill said the school’s teams entering the challenge had been preparing for the event for the last two months.

“Practice will certainly hot up as the Challenge gets closer,” he said.

“At the moment the students work on their UAVs during lunchtimes two times a week and stay after school on Thursday afternoons.

“They also plan to spend their school holiday week in intense training.”

Mr Hill said Kingaroy High was one of only 25 high schools in Queensland that offered Aerospace Studies as a subject, and had two accredited 17-year-old pilots among its students.

“Oliver Kersnovski can take up passengers and does flight training out Toowoomba, and Callum McMurdy also has his pilot’s licence,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how our teams perform on the day.”

Mr Fraser said that UAVs are potentially extremely valuable for countries such as Australia with large relatively unpopulated areas and long coastlines.

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

Mr Fraser said the competition would help stimulate students’ interest in the aerospace industry and potential aviation career pathways.

“The UAV industry is the fastest-growing component of the international aerospace industry, and UAVs are currently used in both defence and civil applications around the world,” he said.

“Queensland is also leading Australia in this high-tech sector, with over 30 per cent of the country’s growing UAV industry located in the State.

“This challenge should stimulate interest in the industry and build students’ confidence in what they can achieve.”

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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