We are thrilled to announce that our USM team has secured fifth place at the International Unmanned System Swarm Technology Competition (IUSC) 2023! This achievement marks a significant milestone in our journey as we participated in the drone swarm competition for the very first time.

The IUSC, primarily organized by the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics in collaboration with Beihang University, China, brought together 18 leading finalist teams this year. Among these were top-tier universities in aerospace engineering in China, such as Beihang University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. This event was also competed by the renowned FAST lab team from Zhejiang University, recognized for their groundbreaking work on 'Swarm of Micro Flying Robots in the Wild,' featured on the cover of Science Robotics, along with several other distinguished high-tech drone companies.

Figure 1 International Unmanned System Swarm Technology Competition (IUSC) – Collective Intelligence 2023

The competition aims to simulate a post-earthquake scenario, where search and rescue missions are time-critical yet hampered by the inaccessibility of ground teams due to extensive infrastructure damage. To tackle this challenge, the competition introduced the concept of deploying a swarm of drones rather than a single unit. These drones operate collectively, autonomously navigating the disaster area, effectively pinpointing survivors, and reporting back essential rescue target zones.

Figure 2 Competition task overview

Controlling one drone autonomously for complex tasks is tough enough. Managing multiple drones together took the challenge to a whole new level. Despite leaving some tasks for the next round, we could not be prouder of our team's commitment and diligence.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to the team members, including Kuang Weijie (Team Leader), Nurfarah Anisah binti Mohd Yussof, Li Aohua, Kung Meng Jun, Chong Yu Zhe, Ooi Yan Liang, Dr. Zhou Ye (Co-advisor), and Dr. Ho Hann Woei (Main advisor).

Figure 3 Group members

A special thank you goes to the main organizers, the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Beihang University, for providing us with a platform to showcase our skills and fostering global collaboration in the realm of swarm drone technology. We are also grateful for the unwavering support from Beihang University and BHEPA USM.
In addition to the certificates of achievement, we were honored to receive a prize of 10,000 RMB (approximately 6,500 MYR), which will aid in covering various expenses related to the competition. This accomplishment serves as a driving force, inspiring us to persist in our pursuit of excellence despite the challenges we encounter.

Figure 4 Route to the competition

Text and image : Dr Ho Hann Woei