A group of students from St Margaret’s Academy in Livingston, Scotland, emerged victorious at the 2023 RTX Quadcopter Final, held at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.
RTX’s Quadcopter Challenge is an annual competition that brings together young innovators to test their engineering, problem-solving and teamwork abilities.
They are teamed with some of the best engineering talents from across RTX, including Raytheon UK and Collins Aerospace.
This year’s theme of “Emergency Services: Our Rapid Responders,” was designed to celebrate emergency services organisations and their efforts to help people across the world.
Participating teams were tasked with analysing RTX’s current Quadcopter design and making modifications with the aim of supporting emergency services personnel in carrying out the essential work that keeps us safe.
A total of 76 teams from across the country participated in the competition. The Interceptors’ performance showcased their STEM skills and command over drone technology.
“I’m genuinely surprised because there were a ton of great teams out there, but we came on top”, said Alex Zduniak, a student at St Margaret’s Academy and a member of the winning team.
“It feels amazing to win because we stayed after school nearly every single day, came to school early on a couple of days, and now we know it’s been worth it. I’ve always thought about becoming an engineer but now I’m more engaged with it”.
The competition also provides a platform for students to learn about drone safety, giving students the ability to demonstrate their technical prowess whilst enhancing their understanding of drone protocols and regulations.
“The RTX Quadcopter Challenge continues to serve as a pivotal platform for encouraging innovation and teamwork,” said Alex Rose Parfitt, director of engineering at Raytheon UK.
“Having students engage with Quadcopter allows them to explore the fun side of STEM and bolster ambitions of entering the defence and aerospace sector.”
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