A team of University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Engineering students finished 3rd among U.S. teams (tied with 2017 for best ever performance) and 15th overall in an international drone competition.
Seven of the UH Drone Technologies team’s 36 members traveled to Maryland in late June 2024 for the 22nd annual Student Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition. The event included a design presentation and a mission demonstration, which consisted of autonomous flying, avoiding obstacles, detecting objects and an airdrop.
More than 50 teams entered, and 36 qualified for the competition, including teams from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, India, Czech Republic, Norway, Italy, Canada and the U.S.
“I’m extremely proud of the team. We’ve worked really hard to get to that point,” said Leiolani Malagon Bracamontes Rodriguez, a senior mechanical engineering major and the team’s project manager. “Everyone knew exactly what we had to do, and what their goal and what their assignments were.”
This was the UH Drone Technologies team’s fifth year competing. Its previous best finish came in 2017, when the team placed 3rd in the nation and 6th overall. The competition provides students with valuable hands-on experience in the rapidly evolving field of drone technology.
Springboard for careers
Alex Tokunaga, a junior mechanical engineering student and hardware systems lead, is currently interning with Phillips Tank and Structure.
“The experiences that I’ve had on this team really helped out with my internship because you learn how to work with other people, whether it’s different disciplines or within your own field, and that communication and those soft skills you learn really do help,” Tokunaga said.
Team advisor and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair Wayne Shiroma emphasized that the interdisciplinary nature of the project, combined with fundraising and sponsor interactions, offers students a comprehensive preview of industry experiences.
“This experience provided our students with an unparalleled opportunity to apply their engineering knowledge to real-world challenges in drone technology,” Shiroma said. “Beyond the technical aspects, they gain crucial skills in teamwork, project management, and communication, all while competing on an international stage. Participating in this competition served as a springboard for their future careers, giving them a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving field of unmanned aerial systems.”
