The Quad Flyers

The Quadcopter Challenge opens young minds to STEM subjects

Highlights from the UK 2018 Quadcopter challenge.

Raytheon UK’s Quadcopter Challenge, now entering its fifth year, challenges 14- to 15-year-old teens to build their own flying devices. Eighty-three teams from around 40 schools will take part in the fast-paced, competitive environment.

“(The) numbers of students participating have increased year-on-year,” said Dr. Alex Rose-Parfitt, director of engineering at Raytheon UK. “It shows greater awareness of the benefits, knowledge and expertise that science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, can bring.”

The 2019 theme is "Technology Around the World," chosen to highlight the importance of global collaboration for building technology and sharing ideas.

Teams of students will work together to build a four-blade, multi-rotor, remotely piloted air system. The quadcopters must be able to navigate an obstacle course – and they will compete in a series of regional heats and semi-finals for the top prize in the national final.

The students will be supported by Raytheon’s STEM ambassadors, who promote the benefits of STEM education across UK schools. Through this mentorship, the teams get hands-on experience with project management, presenting skills, design, engineering techniques and aerodynamics. They also gain insight into the real-world applications of STEM.

Team Quad Squad

Tense moment: A quadcopter glides effortlessly through an obstacle during a Raytheon UK Quadcopter Challenge competition round. The contest is designed to spark interest in STEM careers.

The Quadcopter Challenge is just one way Raytheon UK supports STEM education – and the growing need to fill a pipeline of engineering talent for the future of the UK’s economy.   

Click on the link to learn more about Raytheon UK’s Corporate Responsibility programmes.