Bath Team Leads the Way in Sustainable Drone Design and Global Engineering Excellence

Student Innovation Takes Flight as Bath Wins Prestigious International Drone Contest

In a notable demonstration of engineering innovation and technical skill, student engineers from the University of Bath were reported to have secured the world championship title at the 2025 UAS Challenge, organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). This internationally recognised competition focuses on the autonomous design, construction, and operation of drones, and the final event was held at BMFA Buckminster in Lincolnshire.

According to reports, the competition brought together 32 leading university teams from across the globe. Team Bath Drones emerged victorious, narrowly surpassing the previous titleholders from Beihang University in China, while Politecnico di Milano from Italy claimed third place. The team was credited with completing the event’s first fully autonomous mission, which included take-off, navigation, payload delivery, and landing.

It was understood that team lead Ashviny Ramanathan, a recent Aerospace Engineering graduate, expressed pride in the team’s achievement, noting their year-long commitment to refining the drone’s performance and design. In addition to winning the overall title, Team Bath Drones reportedly received the Environmental Award for their use of flax fibre composites, the Scrutineering Award for operational excellence, and were named runners-up in the innovation, airworthiness, and safety categories.

Dr Samuel Bull, the team’s academic supervisor, was said to have commended the students’ dedication over nine months, particularly their efforts to develop a sustainable drone using plant-based materials. Furthermore, Professor Tim Ibell reportedly emphasised the university’s pride in the team and highlighted the educational value of such hands-on, project-based learning.

The 2025 final featured teams from several countries, including Italy, the Netherlands, Estonia, Ireland, China, and Turkey. Now in its 11th year, the UAS Challenge is designed to bridge academic learning with practical engineering experience, enabling students to build essential skills in design, project management, and teamwork. Organisers stated that full scoring details were made available on the UAS Challenge website. The event was supported by a range of industry partners, including Ansys, Leonardo, Callen-Lenz, BAE Systems/FalconWorks, exhibitor Babcock, and over 80 volunteers. Team Bath Drones’ success at the UAS Challenge reflects the University of Bath’s continued commitment to excellence in engineering education and innovation.

Editor’s Note:

Team Bath Drones’ win at the 2025 UAS Challenge shows how powerful it can be when students combine strong academic learning with hands-on skills. By becoming world champions and completing the contest’s first fully autonomous flight, the team proved their technical talent and commitment to both innovation and sustainability. Their creative use of flax fibre materials and success in many categories highlight the impressive level of work students can achieve outside a traditional classroom. This kind of success shows why real-world projects are so valuable in university education. The University of Bath’s focus on teamwork and practical learning helped the team do well. In today’s fast-changing and environmentally focused world, universities need to do more than just teach theory; they should help students develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and a sense of responsibility.

Skoobuzz notes that Team Bath Drones’ achievement sets an example of how universities can prepare students to lead and succeed in the challenges of the future.