WUT students' UAVs at the SUAS competition in the USA

Two student research groups, two engineering philosophies

Although both teams represent Warsaw University of Technology and are executing tasks within the same competition, they have developed completely independent designs corresponding to different mission strategies.

The Robotics Student Research Group (KNR), operating at the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, focuses primarily on developing software for flight autonomy, perception, and real-time image processing. The team opted for a proven multirotor platform featuring a carbon fiber and 3D-printed frame (PA-CF and ASA Aero filaments), prioritizing hovering precision, image clarity, and flawless object identification.

The Absolute Edge Student Research Group, operating at the Faculty of Mechatronics, developed a lightweight, modular quadcopter structure using composites, optimized for efficiency and flight performance. Their project covers the full mission cycle and focuses on optimizing flight parameters along designated waypoints, fast distance coverage, and seamless integration with a dedicated transport case.

The parallel work of two teams on the same engineering problem increases the University's chances of success. It reflects real-world R&D practices, in which parallel concept development enables faster refinement of technological solutions.

"The participation of two representative groups from Warsaw University of Technology in such a demanding competition in the United States is proof of the high level of competence of our students and the quality of education at Warsaw University of Technology," emphasizes Paulina Chrobocińska, M.Sc. Eng., Rector’s Proxy for Student Research Groups. "Thanks to their knowledge in robotics, electronics, programming, and aeronautics, as well as their ability to work in interdisciplinary teams, they successfully compete with the best teams from all over the world. These young engineers are already proving that they are prepared to take on the most ambitious technological challenges and represent Warsaw University of Technology with dignity on the international stage."

Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and precision missions

The SUAS competition is organized by RoboNation and the AUVSI Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The task of the unmanned aerial vehicles is to execute a fully autonomous mission including: flying along a designated route, real-time obstacle avoidance, generating an orthophotomap, automatic ground target detection and classification using artificial intelligence, and precise payload delivery to a designated drop zone.

For the Robotics Student Research Group, this is their first appearance in the SUAS competition. However, the team already boasts successes in robotics competitions in the United States (including rover competitions) and experience from the Polish Droniada. Their drone's software is based on the ROS 2 framework, and the positioning system uses two GNSS modules from different manufacturers. The vision system is divided into two dedicated cameras mounted on dedicated gimbals—a vertical one for the orthophotomap and a tiltable one with controlled tracking for detecting people and objects using a proprietary AI model.

WUT students' UAVs at the SUAS competition in the USA

"We have never been this ready for any competition before. In my career at KNR, no project has engaged so many members or motivated us as much as the trip to SUAS. We are aiming for a top-five finish," emphasizes Konrad Tokarek from the KNR software section.

The Absolute Edge team is carrying out the project under a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education titled "Enhancing the competencies of members of the Absolute Edge Student Research Group in the field of construction and piloting of unmanned aerial vehicles...", funded under the FERS program. In addition, clearly separated financial support for the venture is provided by the Faculty of Mechatronics at Warsaw University of Technology. The UAV under development utilizes proprietary solutions in computer vision and autonomy.

Immediately after the competition, a three-person delegation from the group will travel to the United Kingdom, to present their solutions at the DroneX Trade Show & Conference at the ExCeL Center in London on September 29–30, 2026. The flight logs and experience gathered during the SUAS competition will serve as substantive material for discussions with international experts in the unmanned systems sector.

WUT students' UAVs at the SUAS competition in the USA

"The Absolute Edge Student Research Group team consists of students who stand out for their extensive technical knowledge and high organizational skills. The grant will allow us to finance our participation in the SUAS competition and the DroneX conference, enabling us to benchmark our solutions against current unmanned industry standards and establish contacts with the international engineering community," says Kamil Stefko, PhD. Eng., advisor to the Research Group.

Team Rosters

Both projects bring together students from various Faculties across our University (including the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography, the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, the Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, the Faculty of Mechatronics, and the Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering). Combining skills in mechanics, electronics, programming, robotics, and project management enables the teams to design and develop advanced unmanned systems in a comprehensive manner.

• Robotics Student Research Group (KNR – Drone Section):
  • Electronics Section: Michał Lejwoda (Organization), Antoni Sarna, Gracjan Witczak, Krystian Wiśniewski (Coordinator), Bolesław Wojciechowski, and Paweł Zawadzki.
  • Mechanical Section: Wojciech Ernestowicz, Tomasz Gąsiorowski, Franciszek Jóźwiak (Lead Pilot), Michał Marcinek, Jakub Panek, Przemysław Rybkiewicz (Coordinator), Adam Skrobisz, Michał Tyborowski, and Igor Ząbek (Project Coordinator).
  • Software Section: Paweł Kwiatkowski, Rafał Lesiak (Backup Pilot), Aleksander Panas, Piotr Pawlus (Coordinator), Mateusz Stelmasiak, Konrad Tokarek, and Bartosz Wiśniewski. (Note: Paweł Zawadzki also serves as a Backup Pilot).
• Absolute Edge Student Research Group:
  • Represented by a team from the Faculty of Mechatronics, comprising: Patryk Brzozowski (Head of the Research Group; responsible for coordination, logistics, organization, and field tests), Mateusz Jeżak (Lead Designer, Platform Integrator, and Drone Pilot), Stanisław Ludwicki (Software & Electronics Section Lead; responsible for electronic integration, simulations, and field tests), and Piotr Piwowarczyk (Marketing Section Lead; responsible for testing, technical documentation, and photo documentation) from the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology.

The projects carried out by both research groups demonstrate that students of Warsaw University of Technology are capable of designing advanced unmanned systems that meet modern technological challenges. Participating in the SUAS competition will allow them to benchmark their solutions against the best academic teams from around the world and mark another step forward in their engineering development. Participation in such a prestigious event is not only a test of practical knowledge and skills, but also a source of pride for our University's academic community.