What are the dates for the UAS4STEM competition?

The 2021 competition is now closed for registration. UAS4STEM regional competitions will be held each spring. 2021 regionals were virtual and took place in April. In previous years, locations in warmer climates have had their competitions in March or April, while teams further north have their regional competition in April or May.

The national competition is held in the summer. The 2021 UAS4STEM national competition will take place Thursday and Friday, July 29-30 at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

If you are interested in participating in the 2022 competition, please contact us at education@modelaircraft.org.

What is included in the UAS4STEM kit?

The UAS4STEM challenge is conceived as an “everything in one box” concept. Each team registration includes the cost of AMA membership for participants, access to the UAS4STEM Online Ground School, online build series, Quadzilla quadcopter kit, Pixhawk AutoPilot w/GPS, RC System, onboard camera, handheld video monitor, video transmitter, RC Flight Simulator, 2 batteries, and 1 charger. Teams will need to provide their own laptop to run the ground control station software.

How much does it cost to participate?

New team registration is $1995.00. This includes everything listed above in the UAS4STEM kit that you will need to participate in the challenge. It also covers entry costs for both regional and national competitions, should your team advance to nationals. This cost is fixed, but a team with 10 members would cost less per team member than a team with only 4 members. This fee does not include a laptop to run the ground control station software (as mentioned above) or expenses for travel to and from a contest site, and any necessary lodging or food during competition travel.

The cost for a returning team is $795, provided that they will be using their materials from the previous year.

My team registered and paid for the 2020 competition. How do we transfer our registration to next year?

Teams that registered and paid for the 2020 competition, which was cancelled due to COVID-19, are automatically advanced to the next season. If you were unable to compete in 2021, then your team can join us for the 2022 season with no additional fees. Please email us at education@modelaircraft.org if you have questions.

How is COVID-19 impacting UAS4STEM in 2021?

The safety of participants and staff remains our highest priority. Regional competitions will be held virtually for the 2021 season.

Each team will schedule a 45-minute block of time live with our judges via video conference. During this session each team will:

• Give a Flight Readiness Review presentation as outlined in the rulebook. The time limit for this has been expanded to 25 minutes.
• Complete a judges’ challenge to plot a given mission using the ground control software.
• Field additional questions from the judges regarding the presentation.

Where will the competitions be held?

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, 2021 regional competitions will be held virtually.

The 2021 national competition will be held at AirVenture! Hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, AirVenture is known as “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and has it all when it comes to aircraft. Utmost consideration will be taken for the safety of all participants, following all national and local protocols in regards to sanitizing, distancing and mask requirements.

About AMA flying sites and the UAS4STEM competition in general: The Academy of Model Aeronautics has over 2,400 flying sites nationwide. Our goal is to provide a regional competition within a few hours drive for most teams, so the location of regional events may vary from year to year. Teams near large population centers will likely have a regional competition close by. Teams that may be a greater distance from a site may need to travel further. We set locations based on participation, and may add additional regional locations as necessary to help accommodate additional teams.

How many competitions can a team participate in per year?

Each team can compete in their regional competition. Teams selected from the various regions will be invited to participate in the national competition. Specific locations will be announced as soon as they are determined.

Do you have to win a regional contest to participate in the nationals?

All regional winners will be invited to compete in the national event. Additional teams in a region may be invited for scoring exceptionally well. Also, if a winning team cannot participate in the national event, runner-up teams will then be invited.

What if your school or club has more than 10 students?

Each UAS4STEM kit is designed for a maximum of 10 team members. This is to allow each team member to participate fully. Schools or clubs can have multiple teams to accommodate additional participants.

What ages are allowed to participate?

The UAS4STEM competition is designed for ages 11-19, with an adult mentor.