In April 2025, the Andrews University Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will host its second drone competition, with some changes from last year’s event. Participating teams must build and program a drone that will then fly in a series of three separate events to complete three separate missions that test its function.
A grant has provided funding for the program, allowing each team to purchase supplies. Last year, parts were pre-selected and teams were presented with a kit to build the drone. This year, teams have greater autonomy to make decisions about how they will approach the objective, including ordering their own choice of parts.
There are five teams—with five members each—currently in the process of putting together their drone. Most teams are still in the planning stage. Damon Loss (freshman, mechanical engineering) shared that his team has made a list of parts that they are ordering. Meanwhile, Isaiah Scaffidi (sophomore, mechanical engineering) explained that his team has already placed an order for parts, and is ready to begin working with materials already on hand to test and set up their drone.
A few weeks before the competition, students will have an opportunity to test their drones through mock missions and see how well the machines operate. After making any necessary modifications, the five teams will compete against each other.
Another new dimension introduced to this competition is the contest itself. Last year’s drones were only required to complete three missions. This year, the drones will be tested in three areas. One mission will evaluate speed, requiring drones to fly through a set course as fast as possible. Another will measure the maximum weight a drone can pick up. Finally, a third trial will require a drone to find objects in a field using cameras to scan QR codes.
One unique aspect of the competition is that the only contest in which teams will actively control the drone in real time is the weight-lifting contest. During the other two courses, all drones will fly autonomously based on programming.
The goal of the competition is for students to have fun building technology, but also to engage with content they may be learning in their classes. Hands-on work can help students retain interest in their degree and practice skills.
Loss shared that “we are learning [how to] budget and about how a drone is made.” He explained that they are learning to compare options to determine how to “get the best overall product for the most efficient prices for our drone.”
Isaac Lun (sophomore, mechanical engineering and mathematical studies) shared that some of the most valuable skills he has learned so far include “Learn[ing] to code the system and calculate the balance between the performance and the endurance of the device.”
Meanwhile, Isaiah Scaffidi explained that he has developed leadership skills unrelated to finance and programming. He said, “one of the most important things I have learned so far is how to continue to motivate and encourage the people in my group to continue to stay engaged and focused on our project.”
He also revealed that he has learned how to guide team members, even when he may not understand everything they’re working on. “That’s why we specialize.”
Check-in periods have happened a few times over the course of the semester to answer questions and ensure the teams are making progress toward the final goal.
Although slots to participate in this year’s competition are full, the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship aspires to maintain this as a yearly program open to students of all majors, though some programming and technical skills are required on each team for success. For more information on the department’s opportunities for students, see their website.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.