Made in Pakistan aircraft and drones at Maryland contest

KARACHI: A generation of engineers and students are engaged in efforts to create civil drones for Pakistan. The last two decades have reshaped the technological landscape of the world and the digital revolution, has evolved and expanded exponentially. The civilian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone has gone through a silent but drastic evolution of its own. Many institutes are pushing their students to make innovations with drones, and the students are doing wonders, says a Press release.
Team Swift, comprising students of different engineering disciplines at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, is a group of talented and innovative individuals who are geared up and ready to compete in the AUVSI SUAS Competition 2023 in Maryland, USA.
The AUVSI-SUAS competition is the premier unmanned aerial vehicle competition for students that is held each year at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. The competition requires students to design, integrate, report on, and demonstrate a UAS capable of autonomous flight and navigation, remote sensing via onboard payload sensors, and execution of a specific set of tasks. It develops industry partnerships through mentors, panels, and faculty who have experience with UAVs.
With a passion for designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the team Swift led by Huzaifa Ansari has already created six successful drones, including a quadcopter that delivers medicine to remote areas under the name of Made in Pakistan.
Aside from their accomplishments in creating functional UAVs, Team Swift is also dedicated to showcasing their creations through airshows, demonstrating their versatility in various industrial applications. The team’s members are continuously pushing their limits and exploring new frontiers in UAV design and application.
Furthermore, the team takes great pride in their inclusivity, with female members taking the lead in creating an aircraft for International Women’s Day. This aircraft, along with their purpose-built UAV flown on Pakistan Resolution Day, is a testament to the team’s commitment to innovation and excellence.
With their extensive experience and expertise in UAV design and implementation, Team Swift of the GIK Institute is poised to make a lasting impact in the AUVSI SUAS Competition 2023 and beyond.
Sharing his experience of trials and errors, the team leader Huzaifa Ansari said, “It was really a challenging task. With a series of tests and errors, correcting ourselves, and finding solutions, ultimately we successfully achieved the target. It was a product of passion and dedication. This experience has allowed me to network with employers in my industry and develop my problem-solving skills.”