CSU – California Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition (C-UASC)
California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), and the Mojave Air & Space Port host the annual C-UASC at the Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field.
| CATEGORY | 1ST PLACE | 2ND PLACE |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Innovation Competition | IIT-Bombay Rakshak | Cornell CUAir |
| Flight Competition | Cal State LA Hexwing | Cornell CUAir |
Honorable mention flight competition: 3rd Place - Cal Poly Univ, 4th Place San Diego State.
This year's participating institutions: CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly SLO, San Diego State, Cal State LA, Cornell Univ, IIT-Bombay
| CATEGORY | 1ST PLACE | 2ND PLACE |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Innovation Competition | IIT-Bombay | San Diego State |
| Flight Competition | San Diego State | n/a |
This year's participating institutions: Cal State LA, IIT-Bombay, San Diego State
DATES & DEADLINES
| DATE | ACTION |
|---|---|
| Anytime! | Email [email protected] to join our mailing list for competition information. |
| TBA, 2026 | Registration Opens Team information and paperwork are collected. |
| TBA, 2026 | Registration Closes |
| TBA, 2026 | Design Competition Submission Deadline |
| TBA, 2026 | Flight Competition @ Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field |
HOTEL
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Student Challenge
UAS Vehicle
Develop an Unmanned Autonomous Systems (UAS) vehicle, either roto-copter or fixed wing, for:
- Autonomous flight
- Waypoint navigation
- Object detection, classification, localization
- Air deliver package at target
The C-UASC competition is designed to stimulate interest in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and to engage students in a challenging mission. The competition requires students to design, integrate, and demonstrate a UAS capable of autonomous flight and navigation and execution of a specific set of tasks. The vehicles may be fixed-wing, quadcopter, or other aero drones but not lighter-than-air vehicles.
Mission Tasks
The UAS must navigate a series of waypoints
The UAS will detect, classify and localize objects of interest
The UAS autonomously drops an undamaged payload object at a target position
Prizes
This competition comprises two parts: a flight competition and an innovative design competition. Each is judged and awarded independently a first and second prize.
RULES & REQUIREMENTS
The competition steering committee (composed of faculty from across the CSU) works together to establish the rules and logistics for the competition. Please contact the organizer, Mike Thorburn, if you have any questions at [email protected].
UAV Workshops
Workshop announcement: Competition Sponsors PTC (Onshape) and ComQuest Ventures (SIMNET) have put together a short video describing the workflow from designing a model aircraft to preparing the CAD for 3D printing.
Our Partner
We thank our host and partner, Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field.
Our Sponsor
We are grateful to our generous sponsors, Terra-Gen Operating Company and Northrop Grumman, for making this event possible.
Contact Mike Thorburn, ECST Capstone Director, at [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities.
Special Thanks
Special Thanks: Scaled Composites, Virgin Galactic, and Northrop Grumman for their support, our students, staff, and faculty volunteers, and photography by Darren Sun and Natalie Leonnig Photos.
Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment for participation: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, San Diego State University, East Los Angeles College, California State University Bakersfield, California State University, Los Angeles, and Fullerton College
MEDIA DISCLAIMER
When you attend a California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) event, you enter an area where photography, audio recording, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to such media recording and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, webcasts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, and inclusion on websites. You further waive all rights you may have to any claims in connection with any exhibition, streaming, webcasting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such exhibiting, broadcasting, webcasting, or other publication.
Contact
For competition questions or sponsorship inquiries, please contact
Mike Thorburn, Cal State LA, at [email protected]