Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Tuesday, 15 May 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A team of 10 students from the Aeronautical Engineering Stream of the University of Moratuwa Department of Mechanical Engineering have been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 2018 IMechE Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) challenge, to be held next month.
This is the first time that a Sri Lankan team will be competing in this globally renowned competition, which is being held for the fourth consecutive year. The students were tasked with building an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and were judged based on their competency and skills. The team of 10 have now been selected to compete against 25 other groups in the UAS Challenge.
Moratuwa University Vice Chancellor Prof. K. Kapila C. K. Perera said: “This is a well-reputed competition in the aerospace industry, conducted by IMechE in the UK, and this is the first Sri Lankan team to participate in such a competition.”
“These students are participating in the challenge under the guidance and support of the Academic staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and a separate advisory panel has been appointed by the Department to educate the students, to successfully compete in the abovementioned competition,” he added.
The competition is to be held from 18-19 June in Llanbedr, Wales, UK with the engagement of undergraduate and taught postgraduate teams in the design, construction, development and demonstration of an autonomous UAS. The UAV will be designed to undertake a representative humanitarian aid mission.
The students competing are Shenal Dilanjaya, Sachindra Weerasekara, Lahiru Dilshan, Neelanjana Piyasundara, Sajan Abenayake, Dinethra Annasiwatta, Malika Parakrama, Amalka Indupama, Vishwajith Amarathunga and Ioshan Wanigasooriya.
However, as of now the students are bearing all costs, and therefore are seeking financial support to successfully compete. The total estimated budget for the competition is around Rs. 2.5 million and the team urges for immediate sponsorship.
The team may be contacted through the University of Moratuwa Department Of Mechanical Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Stream Team (Mora Avions) Public Relations Manager Dinethra Annasiwatta on 0779888506 and Shenal Dilanjaya on 0768671863. (SJ)
