Introducing the SAE AeroConnect Challenge™
Through the SAE AeroConnect Challenge™ universities will think critically about emerging technology issues relevant to the connected aircraft industry. Teams of university students will identify a real-world connected aircraft problem and develop a UAV system to solve their identified problem. Immersed in the SAE International’s AeroTech Americas conference, universities will present their solution in various ways including a technical presentation and on the SAE International’s AeroTech Americas show floor.
There are currently two opportunities for teams to earn money towards their challenge participation: $3,000 Team Sponsorship for AWIM Volunteers and $1,000 Travel Stipend. Read More
SAE AeroConnect Challenge 2020 Mission
Wildfires are expected to once again impact California in 2020, and local authorities are looking for new rapidly deployable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems to support the fire-fighting mission. The primary missions of the UAV system shall be:
- Fire Detection, Imaging, and Tracking: The UAV system shall be capable of monitoring an area for new fires, provide imagery of on-going fires, and tracking of fire progression.
Fire Suppression Aircraft Routing: Once a fire system is identified, the UAV system shall be capable of generating optimal routes for fire suppression aircraft into and out of the fire zone and disseminating those routes back to the ground station. Routes should ensure aircraft separation for ingress and egress of the fire suppression aircraft, as well as separation from any UAV traffic.
Persistent Communications Node: Communication within a fire zone is critical, and lives have been lost due to communication failure. Standard Land Mobile Radios (LMR) work on Line-of-Sight, which can be a challenge in a mountainous fire zone. The UAV system shall serve as a persistent communications relay for LMRs in the VHF and UHF frequency ranges.
Next Steps
