NUST AirWorks: Pakistani Students Leading the Way in Autonomous Drone Design and Manufacturing

NUST AirWorks, a team of talented and determined students at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan, is pioneering the development of autonomous drones that are at the forefront of technological innovation. Established in 2016, the team has quickly gained traction at national competitions and soon recognition on the international stage, winning awards and achieving remarkable success.

In 2019, NUST AirWorks won the Grand Champions Award at the IMechE competition in the UK, beating teams from all over the world and becoming the only team from South Asia to receive this prestigious award.

Their commitment and hard work propelled them to target even more significant competitions, such as Teknofest 2022 in Turkiye, where they competed with a swarm of hexacopters and achieved a top 20 position out of 93 international teams.

This year, the team was the sole representative of Pakistan at Teknofest 2023 and once again distinguished themselves with their outstanding project.

They won the performance award and a cash prize from TÜBITAK for their hybrid VTOL configuration
tasked with an autonomous mission that can be deployed for search and rescue missions, and rescue aid
deliveries for disaster struck areas.

The mission was designed to solve practical issues, keeping in mind the recent earthquakes in Türkiye. The team demonstrated their commitment to innovation and addressing real-world challenges by focusing on building drones that can land on any platform without a runway.

The team is able to implement such complicated and intricate missions in their UAV through the use of
latest technology, and flight controllers which is provided by their Avionics Sponsor CUAV.

The Teknofest competition, this year held in Bursa by the Turkish government, provided the team with
an opportunity to showcase their project and clear three challenges related to team awareness, flight
checks, and a real flight on the runway.

The team’s success in the competition led to a meeting with Selçuk Bayraktar, the CTO of Baykar Drones, and the Minister of Turkish Science and Technology TÜBITAK, Hassan Mandal, and other influential personalities. The exposure allowed the team to learn from some of the best minds in the industry and expand their knowledge and skills.

In conclusion, NUST AirWorks is a team of young and ambitious students who are revolutionizing the
world of autonomous drones through their creativity, technical expertise, and dedication to excellence.
Their impressive accomplishments on the national and international stage serve as a testament to their
commitment to pushing the boundaries of drone technology and innovation.

The team’s success at Teknofest 2023 is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey towards transforming the world of autonomous drones and beyond.

If you’re interested in autonomous drone technology, be sure to keep an eye on NUST AirWorks as they
continue to innovate and make waves in the industry.

These images attached below depict the intensity, camaraderie, and remarkable achievements
witnessed throughout the event.