Innovating and accelerating medical aid drones
The mission of DroneTeam Twente is to innovate and accelerate the drone industry. Our drones are engineered to be used in disaster areas. In rural areas drones can be a fast, cheap and reliable rescue alternative. Together with Red Cross South Africa, our goal is to implement medical aid drones in real life.
Each year, we participate in the UAS Challenge, a yearly student competition where teams design an autonomous emergency rescue drone. Challenges include area search, navigation, accurate package delivery, and more. Over thirty teams from all over the world take part in this challenge.
About the challenge
DroneTeam and the UAS Challenge
DroneTeam Twente has taken part in this challenge for more than five years. The competition is focused on developing unique drone designs for long-range aid delivery. This year, we will compete with a new design that aims to improve on range, payload weight and reliability!
Previous results
2024 UAS Challenge
Grand Champion: 5th out of 34 participants
2023 UAS Challenge
With Nekbeth, DroneTeam Twente participated and flew in the UAS Challenge 2023. With a wingspan of 2.2m and 5 rotors Nekbeth was able to fly and perform during the exam flights. With it, DroneTeam was awarded within the Top 5 position with a very strong design and business case behind it.
Grand Champion: 5th out of 34 participants
2022 UAS Challenge
With Thunderbird, DroneTeam Twente competed in the 2022 UAS Challenge. The drone has a unique box-wing design to increase efficiency, and shows what the future of drones might look like. With it, we won the Media & Engagement Award!🏆 We effectively engaged with media, schools and local students by STEM Outreach. Due to a technical issue the drone could not fly on time, and we finished 17th.
Media & Engagement: 1st
Grand Champion: 17th out of 32 participants
2021 UAS Challenge
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers hosts the UAS Challenge to encourage the further innovation in this field of technology. DroneTeam Twente worked during the year on an award-winning design. We competed with Phoenix at the hybrid part of the iMechE UAS Challenge, and won the ‘Most Promising Team’ award.
Most Promising Team: 1st
2020 UAS Challenge
Our drone ‘VAU2’ competed at the online UAS Challenge in 2020. In total 38 teams from 10 countries competed. With our innovative design, containing highlights such as a tilt-rotor mechanism, a 3D-printed modular frame and combined vertical stabilizers and landing gear, we won our very first prize as a team: the Innovation Award!
Innovation Award: 1st
Media Award: 3rd
Business proposition: 7th
Design Award: 8th out of 38 participants
2019 UAS Challenge
Our first UAS Challenger, Toothless competed in 2019, but unfortunately could not take part in the fly-off and finished 19th. It still got third in the ‘Design’ category.
Design Award: 3rd
Media award: 6th
Business proposition: 10th
Grand Champion: 19th out of 32 participants
2018 DroneClash
We participated in DroneClash 2018, an event to increase drone safety, and achieved a semi-final finish.
Top 4 result
