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University of Auckland drone teams make the cut

University of Auckland drone teams make the cut

Staff, students and former students of the University of Auckland have been a big success at the inaugural C-Prize competition to develop and design a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) or drone.

Staff, students and former students of the University of Auckland have been a big success at the inaugural C-Prize competition to develop and design a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) or drone.

The C-Prize challenge, organised by Callaghan Innovation, involved a competition among drone design teams to come up with a prototype that could meet one or more of the challenges set by New Zealand and international film makers.

The challenges included reducing noise, increasing stability and improving automated object tracking capability. Film director James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar) and movie producer John Landau have both thrown their support behind the C-Prize initiative.

University of Auckland teams of students, former students and staff have made the cut for the finalist six teams which will now compete for the $50,000 first prize.

The three teams are Ruru UAV team, made up of Faculty of Engineering senior lecturers Dr Yusuke Hioka and Dr Karl Stol and lecturer Dr Mike Kingan from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The Horizon team, comprising current students Jeremie Banworth, Jeremy Chan, Andrew Carrell, Morgan McCauley, Steven Jiang and David How is also in the last six and the third team made up of former students is Ben McLaren, Simon Corkery, Nishaad Salvapantula and Ryan Kurte.

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Teams in the final six received $10,000 and will have four months to take their designs and build, test and present a business pitch on a working prototype in preparation for the grand final on December 1 when the winning team will be announced.

The winning team also gets an all-expenses-paid trip to exhibit their winning entry at the 2016 National Association of Broadcasters trade show being held in Las Vegas.

ENDS

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