Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04) Presents Citation to University of Maryland Engineering Team for Winning Nation-Wide First Responder Drone Competition
University, Fire, and NIST Officials Observe Indoor Simulated Search & Rescue Drone Flight Demonstration
Today, Congressman Glenn Ivey joined by UMD President Darryll J. Pines, Dean of the Engineering School, Samuel Graham, Jr., Chris Ryan of National Institute of Standards and Technology and PGCO Fire Chief Tiffany D. Green presented a Congressional Citation to the University of Maryland Autonomous Micro Aerial Vehicle Team. This is a student team led by Dr. Derek Paley, Willis H. Young Jr. Professor of Aerospace Engineering Education and Director of the Maryland Robotics Center and is sponsored by the Maryland Robotics Center, the UMD Department of Aerospace Engineering, and the UMD A. James Clark School of Engineering. The team’s co-advisor is Josh Gaus, project engineer from the UMD UAS Research and Operations Center.
The assembled dignitaries presented a symbolic check for $152,500 from NIST to First responder Uncrewed Aircraft System drone AMAV team of UMD Students. The UMD AMAV team won the NIST 2022 First Responder UAS Indoor Challenge Grand Prize along with four out of six subawards in the final stage, receiving over $152K in prize money. Over the past year, the AMAV team designed, built, and tested a custom drone, called Gambit, estimated to cost under $5K. In addition to the Grand Prize, the team won Best-in-Class awards for Additional Preferred Capabilities, Flyability, and Ease of Operation and was a co-recipient of the First Responder Choice Award.
The Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute served as the backdrop for the flight demonstration. The in-person competition was held earlier this year at Kansas State University in Salina, KS.
Students won a nation-wide contest sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The goal of the NIST 2022 First Responder UAS Indoor Challenge was to design, build, and fly a cost-effective UAS that is easy to control, highly durable, and provide first responders with a high-quality video signal needed to detect human life and assess hazards in a confined indoor environment. The team prepared for the competition by utilizing the unique resources of the Maryland Robotics Center, including the Brin Family Aerial Robotics Lab in the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering and the Robotics and Autonomy Lab in the brand-new E. A. Fernandez IDEA Factory. The team meets weekly with Dr. Paley through the year.
“This accomplishment serves as a sterling example of what can be achieved when students learn, engineer, and build at the cutting edge of technology. Beating out other universities AND the private sector competition shows everyone the you AMAV team members are truly on top of your game. Congratulations and keep up the great work,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey.
Courtesy of U of Maryland we've created a b-roll folder of drone flight video for media use.