About the UAS Challenge

The UAS Challenge is a prestigious engineering competition and continues to grow year on year, with many universities and industry partners around the world taking part.

Launched in 2014 with the key objectives of developing professional engineers and inspiring the next generation, the Challenge is now a highly-anticipated annual competition, attracting dozens of teams from across the UK and around the world. Each annual Challenge cycle kicks-off in October, ending with a final event in June/July of the following year.


We lead the way in promoting value and cohesion within the aerospace industry and adjacent sectors, providing unique opportunities to universities, their teams, the individual students, and our partnering organisations.

  • Project takes place alongside the academic year (October-July), with phased stages requiring strict adherence and assessment in order to qualify to compete in the fly-off.
  • Teams must undertake a full design and build cycle of a UAS, with a maximum take off mass of 10kg that meets specific mission objectives.
  • The competition is split into design, development and demonstration stages and culminates with the flying demonstration and business case presentations, which contribute to final scoring.
  • Run by a steering group comprised of expert professionals in aerospace engineering and flight safety, many of whom are senior staff at leading organisations in the sector of aerospace and defence.

Why the UAS Challenge works

  • Real-world engineering experience: students can apply academic theory and knowledge to a practical aerospace engineering project, designed to be as close to the real world as possible.
  • Hands-on learning: Participants gain valuable experience in design, manufacturing, integration, testing, and flight operations, helping to bridge the gap between academic study and industry practice.
  • Safe environment for learning and experimentation: participants are able to test ideas, learn from setbacks, and develop resilience in a supportive setting.
  • Increased employability: the UAS Challenge is a strong addition to any CV, providing direct experience of working as part of a team on an engineering project.
  • Excellent networking opportunities: The challenge connects students with experienced aerospace engineers, judges, and industry professionals, providing valuable feedback and career insights, as well as hundreds of like-minded peers.