COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Watch as a field of 71 international teams competes in the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) competition. St. Mary’s County Regional Airport and University of Maryland UAS Test Site in Southern Maryland are the venues for the RoboNation SUAS competition, June 15–18.
The SUAS competition is designed to foster interest in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), stimulate interest in UAS technologies and careers, and engage students in a challenging mission.
The competition requires students to design, integrate, report on, and demonstrate a UAS capable of autonomous flight and navigation, remote sensing via onboard payload sensors, and execution of a specific set of tasks. The competition has been held annually since 2002. The 2022 event is the first since 2019 (the 2020 and 2021 events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
RoboNation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a pathway of hands-on educational experiences that empower students to find innovative solutions to global challenges. The pathway begins with SeaPerch and includes autonomous vehicle competitions in all domains including the Student UAS (SUAS) competition.
The UAS Test Site at the University of Maryland stands at the forefront of UAS rulemaking, commercialization, and national airspace integration. Test Site experts leverage their decades of combined experience in military and civilian aviation, engineering, and project management to accelerate the safe, responsible application of UAS in public and private industries.
Thursday, June 16
- Safety Checks: 8 am–11 am
- Demonstration Flights: 12pm–5pm
UAS Test Site and SMART Building/MATRIX Lab Open Houses: 10 am–2 pm
Friday, June 17
- Demonstration Flights: 7:30am–5pm
Saturday, June 18
- Demonstration Flights: 7:30am–5pm