For a number of years we have sponsored the Schools Aerospace Challenge, a great initiative helping 16-18 year olds enter the real world of aviation and engineering.

On Monday 25th November Hybrid Air Vehicles attended the Challenge Awards night hosted at the Institution of Mechanical Engineering. A fitting venue to reward these students passionate about engineering.

The challenge for 2019 was…

To explore the nature of any potential threat posed particularly by small UAVs and to conceive and develop pragmatic solutions or countermeasures to these threats.

A Great Start to a Great Evening


The evening began with an opportunity for the students involved to meet those from the aerospace industry that support the event. It was great to hear about their ideas and how they worked in teams of three to come up with their solution.

Photo credit: Jake Felix Goldhill

The Top Three Teams Presented

It was a pleasure to watch the top three teams present their ideas to the audience. They all presented very professionally, with well thought out ideas.

Photo credit: Jake Felix Goldhill

Finally, The Awards Were Handed Out

This year the Royal Air Force Chief of Materiel (Air), Julian Young, was on hand to give out the awards and reveal third, second and the coveted first place.

The winning team - Team Dye Hard from Tonbridge School

Photo credit: Jake Felix Goldhill

The night was a great success and we look forward to finding out what the 2020 challenge will be and supporting this important STEM opportunity.

"Schools Aerospace Challenge is always a rewarding event to be involved with, but it would not be possible without the help and generosity of our Sponsors and Supporters throughout the aerospace industry, and beyond. The quality and originality of the submissions seems to improve year on year, and the students really appreciate the opportunities that SAC offers."

Craig Penrice Schools Aerospace Challenge Organiser

“The Schools Aerospace Challenge has been the most amazing opportunity for our students over the years. They learn a great deal when researching and compiling their entries, learning how to apply their school knowledge to a real-world application. Those who have been lucky enough to attend the finals at Cranfield have always returned ‘buzzing’ with enthusiasm, with one of my students once describing it as ‘the best week of his life’! Thanks for such a great opportunity – all the students we’ve had enter the competition, have ultimately gone on to read Engineering or Physics at university. It is the ideal springboard into the industry…”

Philip Deakin Head of Physics, Tonbridge School

"I have been attending the Schools Aerospace Challenge Awards night for many years now, including during my time at Cranfield Aerospace. It it great to see every year the engineering talent that is coming from the schools across our country. I look forward to seeing what the students come up with in 2020!"

Simon Evans HAV Head of Defence & Security Business Development

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