New age aircraft head to Kingaroy on search and rescue mission
Published Tuesday, 25 September, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Kingaroy is hosting a major competition featuring pilotless aircraft on a search and rescue mission in the ‘Outback’ today and tomorrow.
The inaugural Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Challenge – Outback Rescue competition showcases what is being hailed as the next big thing in aircraft technological development.
UAVs are aircraft without an onboard pilot that can either be remote-controlled or flown autonomously based on a pre-programmed flight plan.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said these pioneering aircraft were already used extensively in defence and now scientists, engineers and leading aerospace companies were starting to realise their potential for civilian use.
“They can be used to help maintain power lines, survey fisheries and wildlife, monitor stock, manage crops and fight bushfires,” Ms Boyle said.
She said the competition would see nine teams judged on their technical and engineering skills as well as their piloting prowess, with a total of $60,000 in prize money up for grabs.
“The competition consists of two separate challenge days: one for high school students and one for uni students and enthusiasts. Competitors in both competitions have to mount an Outback rescue mission, where they drop off ‘emergency supplies’ to someone lost in the bush within an extremely tight timeframe,” she said.
Along with the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, supporters of the event include: the joint QUT-CSIRO Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation, Boeing Australia Limited and the US based Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
Boeing Australia's president David Withers said it was very encouraging to see so many young people taking such an active interest in unmanned aerial vehicle technologies.
“Their enthusiasm, motivation and innovation will help to drive the development of this rapidly growing and exciting industry in the future," Mr Withers said.
The Australian Research Centre’s Professor Rod Walker said unmanned aerial vehicles were a natural integration of ICT into aviation.
“The Outback Challenge, using emergent UAV technologies, is motivating the next generation of aerospace professionals, providing them with the skills that will see Queensland emerge as a major player in the development of this exciting new industry."
The Challenge is held at Kingaroy Airport.
Ends
Media contacts: Minister Boyle: 3224 2004 ARCAA’s Prof Rod Walker 3138 1772 or 0417 791 311
25 September 2007
The inaugural Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Challenge – Outback Rescue competition showcases what is being hailed as the next big thing in aircraft technological development.
UAVs are aircraft without an onboard pilot that can either be remote-controlled or flown autonomously based on a pre-programmed flight plan.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said these pioneering aircraft were already used extensively in defence and now scientists, engineers and leading aerospace companies were starting to realise their potential for civilian use.
“They can be used to help maintain power lines, survey fisheries and wildlife, monitor stock, manage crops and fight bushfires,” Ms Boyle said.
She said the competition would see nine teams judged on their technical and engineering skills as well as their piloting prowess, with a total of $60,000 in prize money up for grabs.
“The competition consists of two separate challenge days: one for high school students and one for uni students and enthusiasts. Competitors in both competitions have to mount an Outback rescue mission, where they drop off ‘emergency supplies’ to someone lost in the bush within an extremely tight timeframe,” she said.
Along with the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, supporters of the event include: the joint QUT-CSIRO Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation, Boeing Australia Limited and the US based Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
Boeing Australia's president David Withers said it was very encouraging to see so many young people taking such an active interest in unmanned aerial vehicle technologies.
“Their enthusiasm, motivation and innovation will help to drive the development of this rapidly growing and exciting industry in the future," Mr Withers said.
The Australian Research Centre’s Professor Rod Walker said unmanned aerial vehicles were a natural integration of ICT into aviation.
“The Outback Challenge, using emergent UAV technologies, is motivating the next generation of aerospace professionals, providing them with the skills that will see Queensland emerge as a major player in the development of this exciting new industry."
The Challenge is held at Kingaroy Airport.
Ends
Media contacts: Minister Boyle: 3224 2004 ARCAA’s Prof Rod Walker 3138 1772 or 0417 791 311
25 September 2007