The ITS Bayucaraka team received a medal at Turkey’s Tübitak International Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Competition 2022.

ITS Campus, ITS News – Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) again had the opportunity to show its best achievements in international events. This time, the ITS Bayucaraka flying robot team won two championship titles in the Fixed Wing category at the Tübitak International Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Competition 2022, held in Turkey for six days and ended on Sunday (14/8) yesterday.

ITS Bayucaraka team builder Heri Suryoatmojo ST MT Ph.D. explained that the Tübitak International UAV Competition has been held since 2016 and aims to increase young people’s awareness of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV). “There are two categories contested in this competition, namely Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing,” explained Heri.

In this prestigious competition, ITS sent the LeonarDoro team as representatives of ITS Bayucaraka to compete in the Fixed Wing category and the Soeromiber team for the Rotary Wing category. Each unit consists of three students. “Out of the two competing teams, LeonarDoro’s team won two awards at once, namely Best Performance Fixed Wing Plane and Originality Fixed Wing Plane,” he said proudly.

(from left) Muhammad Farid Ni’am, Raflis Al Qhazali, and Dwi Ari Setiawan, members of the LeonarDoro team from Bayucaraka ITS, while preparing at the competition arena

Furthermore, Heri explained that in the Fixed Wing category, the ITS Bayucaraka team received praise from the judges for successfully displaying good speed and accuracy. Not only that, but the pride of the ITS was flying robot team was also required to make a handmade aircraft propulsion motor, not a factory product.

All teams in the Fixed Wing category, adding Heri, must complete two missions in this competition. First, the uncrewed aircraft must maneuver to form a figure of eight when flying at the fastest time possible. In addition, the plane is not allowed to exceed the limits set by the jury.

As for the second mission, each aircraft is asked to drop an item from the air on a predetermined target area. Heri continued that there were six trials that all competing teams could do before the final stage. “The trial period is made so each team can maximize their performance,” said Heri.

Besides ITS, he continued, there were three other representatives from Indonesia, namely the University of Indonesia (UI), the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), and the University of Riau (Unri). “And we are grateful for successfully stealing the championship and making Indonesia proud in the international arena,” said the ITS Electrical Engineering Department lecturer.

The ITS Bayucaraka team arrived in Turkey to prepare for the flying robot race.

Meanwhile, team leader LeonarDoro Raflis Al Qhazali said that this competition stage began last February and went through a long process. First, the Bayucaraka team was asked to provide a design concept to Tübitak. After being deemed worthy of being contested, the Bayucaraka team had to re-detail the design concept and develop the aircraft. “After qualifying, we have to do development again for one month while preparing for the final,” he explained.

When asked about the obstacles, Raflis felt they faced many challenges while participating in this competition. The reason is that the limited processing time is considered insufficient to maximize the handmade motor’s performance. “However, we are quite satisfied with our efforts in working on this motor,” he said.

Although he had a vacuum and did not bring home the champion for the last two years, Raflis considered that this year was a turning point for Bayucaraka ITS and hoped to win the first championship title in the coming year. “We will continue to evaluate ourselves and work to develop this drone again,” he concluded. (ITS Public Relation/far)

Reporter: Erchi Ad’ha Loyensya