Raytheon Technologies 2022 Quadcopter challenge

Raytheon Technologies 2022 Quadcopter challenge – Balwearie High School 

Following months of designing, testing and flying, a team of 4 students from Balwearie High School headed down to Royal Air Force College Cranwell to take part in this year’s Quadcopter challenge. 

Guided by Raytheon Technologies STEM Ambassadors, students from across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland were asked to use their engineering skills to design a four bladed, remotely piloted air system known as a quadcopter. 

The competition, designed to encourage students to take up STEM, saw 92 teams compete for the coveted title. 

Team ERA 1723, from Balwearie High School came fourth in the UK competition and received the highest scoring points out of all the teams from Scotland. The team was composed of Poppy Mitchell, Jason Peacock, Adam Christie, and Mairi Campbell. 

This year the students had to consider the environment and put sustainability at the fore front of their minds. They were tasked with designing and prototyping a quadcopter that could solve a current sustainability crisis. Team ERA 1723 focussed on the protection of animals from poaching and came up with a quadcopter design that was both practical and creative. 

Hosted in a base steeped in over 100 years of Royal Air Force history, the challenge culminated in a day of competition where young people from all over the country presented their quadcopters and responded to tasks set to them by a judging panel. 

“Supporting events like this that inspire future generations of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers is at the heart of what the Royal Air Force Youth and STEM seek to achieve.” Air Commodore Andrew Dickens, Commandant Royal Air Force College Cranwell 

“I am incredibly proud of what Poppy, Jason, Adam and Mairi have managed to achieve.  The team has worked so hard over the past few months and invested countless hours both during and after school working on their design. It is so inspiring to see their dedication and creativity shine through, coming fourth out of ninety-two teams from across the UK is a huge achievement and very well deserved.” Eric Williamson, teacher at Balwearie High School