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Community Outreach
FAA Hosts Drone Obstacle Course for Oklahoma Engineering Fair
One of the drones demonstrated its ability to fly under something on the obstacle course.
A handful of FAA employees helped in setting up the drone obstacle course, registering the participants, and helping to judge the event.

The Aeronautical Center participated in the 43rd Annual Oklahoma Engineering Foundation’s Engineering Fair held at the Science Museum Oklahoma on Wednesday, February 21st. The event brought students, teachers, professors, and the business community together, introducing area students to engineering and related principles. The Aeronautical Center partnered with the FAASTeam to create a Drone Zone obstacle course as part of the event.

The FAA’s FAASTeam was created to develop a shift in the safety culture and reduce aviation accidents by encouraging members of the aviation community to improve their attitudes toward safety by refreshing their aeronautical knowledge and improving their aeronautical skills.

Helping students register for the competition were (L) Sheree VanNoy and (R) Pam Graham
Judges from the FAA interviewed students about the drone they would fly in the competition.
Aaron Varland from the FAA’s FAAST team explains the rules of the course to participants.

The Engineering Fair helped middle and high school students showcase their creativity in engineering and design by competing in a drone flying contest. This year, a record number of 27 teams participated in the event!

The Oklahoma Engineering Foundation holds this event every spring during National Engineers Week. The students showcased their creativity in engineering construction and design through various categories of competition, including a bridge competition, rubber band-powered vehicle competition, drone zone competition, Eiffel tower competition, electrical motor competition, ping pong launcher competition, and a wacky wonder works competition. The event is open to students attending public, private, parochial, or home schools in Oklahoma.

The competition aimed to fly their drone safely through the obstacle course without hitting anything, demonstrating safety and quick maneuverability.
Many students worked in pairs or teams, helping to coach one another verbally on how to maneuver through the course.
Students from across Oklahoma entered the competition, demonstrating their varied experience levels.

Awards will be given to first, second, and third-place winners. Amazon gift cards and medals will be provided to those in their respective categories. Classrooms will earn unique plaques.

Students operated various types of drones through the obstacle course.
The drones were of all sizes and shapes. Some were made at home; some were purchased online.

Students entering the FAA’s Drone Zone Competition had the option to purchase their drone or build their own for the competition, demonstrating their ability to show techniques in hovering and manipulating the drone over, under, and through an obstacle course. Contestants were required to fly through the course successfully without crashing into anything, demonstrating the safety aspects, while maneuvering the course in under two minutes.

The "Drone Zone" is the starting position, from which operators must demonstrate their ability to hover.

2024 Winners from the Oklahoma Engineering Fair’s Drone Zone Competition include:
1st Place: Team Dove Science Academy – 5 students – Demonstrating smooth execution and teamwork
2nd Place: Mid-America Technology Center – 1 student Chose to modify their drone by making and using 3-D printed parts
3rd Place: Terra Verde Discovery School – 2 students; Proved to have good team execution of navigating the course
Honorable Mention: Dove Academy – 6 students (The team demonstrated excellent drone control)

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Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
6500 South MacArthur Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73169