Welcome to the prestigious 16th Annual National Student UAS Competition, proudly hosted by the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada (AEAC). We are thrilled to open the doors to this exhilarating event, extending a warm invitation to university and college teams from all corners of Canada. This remarkable gathering provides a platform for aspiring talent to shine as industry Bidders, showcasing their innovative prowess through sub-scale prototypes of Unpiloted Aircraft Systems (UAS) in this years wildfire  scenario.  A preview of the 2025 AEAC SUAS competition tasks can be found below. We ask competitors to hold all questions about the task content until the full CONOPS is released in September.  2025 Assessment Preview 

The competition consists of two phases.

1. Phase I required Bidders to submit their proposals outlining UAS design concepts and plans by January 15, 2025.
2. Phase II, the operational demonstration, will take place in late May 2025 where Bidders showcase their UAS prototypes in actual flight scenarios.  The site will be announced in September. 

Thank you to all the teams that competed in 2024. The winning teams are:

The winners of this year’s Phase I – Design Paper Competition 2024 are:

 🥇 1st place:        University of Waterloo – Aerial Robotics Group (WARG)

 🥈 2nd place:     University of British Columbia (UBC) – Uncrewed Aircraft Systems  (UBC UAS)

 🥉 3rd place:      University of Toronto – UTAT UAS

The winners of this years The Phase II – Flight Assessment are:

🥇 1st place:      University of Waterloo – Aerial Robotics Group (WARG)

🥈 2nd place:    University of Alberta Aerial Robotics Group  (UAARG)

🥉 3rd place:     University of British Columbia (UBC) – Uncrewed Aircraft Systems  (UBC UAS)

The winners of this year’s special awards are:

 Pip Rudkin Memorial Award for Perseverance:

The Pip Rudkin Perseverance Award, named in memory of Pip Rudkin, celebrates resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment in the face of challenges. This award recognizes teams that exemplify Pip’s visionary spirit and determination, demonstrated through extraordinary efforts in the competition. Whether overcoming control difficulties, pushing design limits, or persisting through evolving challenges, recipients of this award embody the essence of perseverance.

Pip Rudkin Memorial Award for Perseverance Winner 2024:

University of Guelph – Gryphon Aerospace

Innovation Award:

The Innovation Award lauds teams for pushing boundaries with ingenious and unique solutions. Recognizing creativity beyond convention, this accolade commends teams that redefine problem-solving. Whether through groundbreaking technology, inventive strategies, or original designs, recipients exemplify the spirit of exploration and innovation. This award celebrates teams that redefine what’s possible, introducing fresh perspectives and novel approaches that showcase the cutting edge of technology and creative thinking. This year’s award was sponsored by McElhanney.

Innovation Award Winner 2024:

Carleton University – Team Blackbird

Judges Choice Award:

The Judges Award is a special accolade presented by the judging team to recognize exceptional achievement and noteworthy contributions during the competition. It goes beyond conventional performance metrics, highlighting outstanding qualities such as resilience, innovation, sportsmanship, and dedication. This prestigious recognition acknowledges the diverse and exceptional qualities that make a team stand out in the eyes of the judging panel. This year’s award was sponsored by CAE.

Judges Choice Award Winner 2024:

University of Waterloo – Waterloo Aerial Robotics Group (WARG)

Team Spirit Award:

The Team Spirit Award celebrates the team that embodies vibrant energy, teamwork, and positive sportsmanship at the AEAC Annual Student UAS competition. Recognizing the intangible qualities that foster camaraderie, this accolade goes beyond technical achievements. It honors the group that uplifts the event with enthusiasm, encouraging fellow competitors, and creating a memorable, inclusive atmosphere. The Spirit Award acknowledges the team’s impact on the competition’s overall spirit, making them standout ambassadors of collaboration and passion. This year’s award was sponsored by Thales Digital Solutions.

Team Spirit Award Winner 2024:

UBC Okanagan – Aerial Robotics and Rocketry Club

Congratulations to all the winners!

2024 Competing Teams

UNIVERSITY TEAM NAME

University of Alberta (AB) U of A – Aerial Robotics Group (UAARG)

University of British Columbia (BC) UBC UAS

UBC Okanagan (BC) Aerial Robotics and Rocketry Club 

Carleton University (ON) Blackbird UAV

Queens University (ON) Queen’s Aerospace Design Team

University of Toronto (ON) UTAT UAS

University of Waterloo (ON) WARG

University of Guelph (ON) Gryphon Aerospace

Université de Sherbrooke (QC) VAMUdeS

École de technologie supérieure (QC) Dronolab

McGill University (QC) McGill Drones and Vertical Flight Society

Sponsorship Brochure

About the Competition

Competition Objective: 

Each year, participating teams are tasked with creating innovative concepts, designing a done system, and competing in a sub-scale assessment of their prototypes. These prototypes are evaluated based on their ability to perform a specific task based on an annual competition theme which is selected by the competition committee to challenge the teams in a real-world drone application scenario. Beyond Visual Line of Sight capabilities are a key aspect of evaluation in the Phase 2 Flight Assessment. For reference the competition details are contained in the 2024 CONOPS. 

Competition Eligibility:

To be eligible for the competition, all competitors must be enrolled either part-time or full-time at a Canadian College or University for the Fall 2024 and/or Winter 2025 terms. We highly encourage teams to embrace diversity by comprising students from various academic years, ranging from first year to graduate programs. Our goal is to promote collaboration and diversity of expertise, encouraging a holistic approach to problem-solving.

Moreover, we welcome joint teams consisting of students from multiple institutions, enabling meaningful collaboration between universities and colleges. Embracing diversity in team composition strengthens the fabric of innovation, fostering an environment where different perspectives and backgrounds converge to create groundbreaking solutions.

We invite all participating teams to embrace our DEI focus as they prepare for next year’s competition. Let’s work together to build a more inclusive and equitable industry, ensuring that every voice is heard and celebrated in the journey of aerial evolution.

To learn more or register your team for next year’s competition, please contact us at [email protected].