Qld students flying high with drone dollars

The Palaszczuk Government is congratulating teams from Mueller College, Rothwell, who have walked away with $5000 after winning the 2015 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Airborne Delivery High School Challenge.

This year’s win is the second year in a row for Mueller College, taking out both first and second places in the competition.

The Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham said the competition brought together the best and brightest students from Queensland and Australia as well as competitors from the United States of America.

“It’s great to see students getting to make lasting connections with peers from the other side of the world in a friendly and competitive environment,” Dr Lynham said.

“The Palaszczuk Government has provided a total of $30,000 for this program over 2015 and 2016.

“This has been a collaborative program between the Queensland Government, CSIRO and the Queensland University of Technology.

“We have been an active supporter of this program since 2007 and will continue to invest in collaborative initiatives, particularly those that promote the development of Queensland’s youth in science-based fields.

“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the need to develop Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills from an early age.

“The two-day program involved the teams using an unmanned aircraft to drop an EpiPen as close as possible to manikin “Outback Joe” so that he can treat his anaphylaxis condition immediately while medical aid travels to reach him.

“The benefit of this competition is that it fosters the development of entrepreneurial skills and helps shape the future of young Queensland innovators.

“It’s about developing the right environment now that will deliver jobs for the future,” he said.

Member for Murrumba Chris Whiting said it was fantastic to see a school in his electorate take out the top prize for a second year in a row.

“It’s just fantastic to see students from Mueller College competing with other young innovators at an international level,” he said.

“It’s such a good win for the school and I’m sure the winning teams have inspired their peers.”

To view the full results visit: uavoutbackchallenge.com.au  

[ENDS]              2 October 2015

Media Contact: Jan Martin 0439 341 314