Clayfield’s Aviation High enters UAV Outback Challenge in Kingaroy
ALICIA NALLY CITY NORTH NEWS
NEW designs and experimental theories will be put to the test in windy conditions this week as 22 students from Clayfield’s Aviation High take part in the 2014 UAV Outback Challenge in Kingaroy from September 22-26.
UAVs, or Unmanned Airborne Vehicles, are flying machines which can perform activities without needing pilots. They rely on modern computers and sensors such as GPS to perform tasks.
In this year’s competition, the winner will be the engineer of the device which most accurately drops a ‘bomb’ on the correct targets.
Year 10 student Stan Maziarz is a three-year veteran of the event and is hoping his remote-controlled, 1.8m balsa wood kit plane will deliver the goods.
“The good thing about this plane is that it can fly slow and low which will be very handy in getting close to the target,” he said.
“Kingaroy will definitely be quite a challenge because of the wind that is predicted.”
Stan is hoping to continue participating in the competition for the next two years before he embarks on a career in either air traffic control or aircraft maintenance.
