Kolar (Karnataka) June 10 (ANI): Engineering students from across the country participated in a design competition for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), organised by the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) here on Tuesday.

The competition was organised to nurture the spirit of innovation among the engineering students.

Ten teams who were sort listed based on the product’s design demonstrated their models at DRDO’s range testing range in Kolar district.

The challenge was to conceive, design and develop a prototype of a working model of a low-cost airborne system housing a sensor for carrying out outdoor surveillance.

“The idea is to bring in the enthusiasm into the students to be able to think innovatively to be able to understand as to how DRDO works, to be able to bring up a product with an objective and fly it. And also when they come in here for competition they are able to interact with the professionals, learn and go back and of course through this get to know about DRDO, come and join DRDO,” said S. Krishnan, director, Aeronautical Development Establishment.

A review-cum-recommendation committee identified and selected the winning teams.

The top ten teams were awarded with a cash prize of fifty thousand rupees each.

Two teams from Thapar University of Punjab for its online survey and IIT of Chennai for its sturdy aerial pictures and balancing of the vehicle won prizes of three lakh and two lakh rupees respectively.

UAV is an aircraft operated with a remote control. UAVs performs investigation as well as attack missions. They are used in a small but growing number of civil applications such as fire fighting as well. (ANI)