Launching the UAV Innovation Competition for High School and University Students

The competition aims not only to find effective practical solutions for UAV applications but also to promote research, invention, and commercialization of domestic UAV products, towards building a sustainable UAV ecosystem in Vietnam.

Associate Professor, Dr. Han Trong Thanh, Deputy Director of the Institute of Space and Underwater Technology Research, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, answered reporters' questions about issues related to the competition.

On the morning of September 9th, in Hanoi, the Institute of Space and Underwater Technology Research - Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vietnam Gas Corporation - JSC (PV GAS) officially launched the PV GAS UAV Innovation Cup 2025 competition with the theme "Homeland's Skies".

Amidst the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, many countries around the world have been investing heavily in developing the low-altitude economy – a newly emerging concept based on the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and intelligent technologies in space environments.

These technologies are becoming increasingly central to many industries, from automated delivery and agricultural monitoring to search and rescue, emergency medical transport, manufacturing automation, and environmental control.

UAVs are not simply high-tech devices; they are also unlocking almost limitless potential in replacing humans in performing dangerous tasks, in hazardous or harsh environments, contributing to solving global challenges and improving the quality of life.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Van, Lecturer at the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, presented the rules and simulated the competition arena.

Many countries have identified this sector as a crucial part of their economic and defense development strategies, as well as their responses to climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics.

In Vietnam, the Party and State have clearly defined the role of science, technology, and innovation as key pillars in national development. Many resolutions and socio-economic development strategies have emphasized the importance of mastering core technologies for strategic products such as UAVs, robots, and AI cameras.

These policies not only provide direction but also create momentum to connect "the State - Schools - Businesses" in order to build a strong innovation ecosystem and enhance national competitiveness in the digital age.

The 2025 UAV Innovation Competition is open to students from universities, colleges, technical schools, and high schools nationwide who are passionate about drone technology and autonomous control.

The judging panel comprises reputable experts, lecturers, and researchers from leading universities and research institutes nationwide, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accuracy in the scoring process, while also providing valuable professional feedback to help competing teams refine and develop their ideas.

The competition's judging panel comprises prestigious experts, lecturers, and researchers from leading universities and research institutes across the country.

The organizing committee has opened free registration on the UAV Innovation 2025 competition registration portal. 32 eligible teams (each team consisting of 3-5 members and 1 instructor) will be divided into 4 groups based on a random draw.

In the qualifying round (December 2-4), teams compete in multiple rounds in a round-robin format within their groups to determine the top 8 teams that advance to the Final Round (December 6-7) - which consists of knockout matches between predetermined pairs based on the competition rules.

The competition is designed as a realistic simulation, inspired by tasks related to refueling, emergency transport, and clean energy supply in smart cities. Teams not only build UAVs but also develop sound strategies, applying positioning, sensor, navigation, and autonomous control technologies to complete a series of tasks in a challenging environment.

Specifically, in each round, teams will deploy autonomous reconnaissance UAVs to survey and locate the area requiring power supply using sensor cameras or ArUco code scanning, and transmit coordinate data to the control station. Then, they will deploy a manually operated UAV (controlled manually) to receive data from the reconnaissance UAV, overcome obstacles, approach the central power tower, retrieve the "power bar," and transport it to the designated location.

The competition's prize structure includes 1 first prize worth 200 million VND; 1 second prize worth 100 million VND; 1 third prize worth 80 million VND; and 5 consolation prizes, each worth 30 million VND.

The 2025 UAV Innovation Competition aims not only to find effective practical solutions for UAV applications but also to promote research, invention, and commercialization of "Made in Vietnam" UAV products. Simultaneously, it serves as a platform for exchange and learning about science and technology, and for connecting with investors, with the goal of building a sustainable UAV ecosystem in Vietnam.

VAN TOAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-dong-cuoc-thi-sang-tao-uav-danh-cho-hoc-sinh-sinh-vien-post906828.html