Team Invictus from GIKI has clinched 2nd position in Design, Build and Fly competition, hosted by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The competition had participation from students from all across the globe including renowned institutions such as MIT, UC Berkeley, and Stanford and GIKI students clinched the second spot to beat many of these institutions and bring the prize home.
The 2021 iteration of the competition aimed to build and test a UAV with a towed sensor. All student teams were tasked to design, fabricate and demonstrate capabilities of their unmanned radio controlled aircraft which is designed to meet a specific mission objective. As per the GIK University announcement, the team used advanced manufacturing techniques which included 3D printed parts and a pod and boom aircraft configuration to get their design ready.
The students of GIKI were also congratulated by the U.S Embassy of Pakistan in a Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/pakistan.usembassy/photos/a.177646208620/10158407370693621/
The team’s proposal for the unmanned aircraft was scored 85.9, which was 1st best in Asia whereas it was rated 2nd best globally. The proposal document consisted of 60 pages of highly technical information plus fly-offs that took place in alternately in Kansas and Arizona, USA. It must also be noted that due to COVID for the first time, digital collaboration tools had to be used but that didn’t hinder the team’s progress at all as they set forth to clinch the second position.
The team’s future plans are to be the face of the radio-controlled aircraft industry in Pakistan and they aim to promote aeronautics and aviation as a hobby in the country so that more people get involved.
