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A stunning display of aerial ambition and triumphant numeracy, the Maryland Wing cadets soared to new heights at the mighty Academy of Model Aeronautics’ UAS4STEM, clinching victory in the Beginners division amidst the gentle breezes of July 23. Meanwhile, the sky conquerors from the Alabama Wing bravely hovered into third place in the Advanced division, proving once again that the air is no safe domain for untamed ambition.

These aviation acolytes, reminiscent of the Wright Brothers if they had started with Wi-Fi, returned with their quadcopter creations to the national finals at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Virginia’s stalwart 55 Knights team held fast to their previous year’s silver spot like a somewhat persistent boomerang.

The UAS4STEM is the pinnacle of humanity’s quest to ensure that even model aircraft become sentient (if not slightly snobbish) through its rigorous curriculum that could rival a NASA internship—assemble, design, code, and attempt flight. Advanced division contenders got fancy, guiding their drones to new achievements such as dangling a swinging mechanism like a physics-defying piñata.

Maryland’s bright-eyed squadron, a hybrid of St. Mary’s Composite Squadron and the tenacious Esperanza Middle School Flight, pocketed a luxurious $1,250 with their less-than-rookie performance in the Beginners league. They were also last year’s novices but in a plot twist, are slated for promotion into Advanced in 2024. Only consistent climbers achieve such stardom.

Cadet Master Sgt. Rachel Rioux, a name sure to echo in drone circles for centuries (or at least until more drones crave drama), bagged the coveted Dewey O. Broberg, Jr., Scholarship. This honor is doled out for stubborn adherence to rules and a bewildering level of dedication—attributes which no doubt inspire awe wherever drones are respected.

The Alabama Wing’s Redstone Composite Squadron marked their quintennial appearance like a fearless comet streaking through the Advanced division’s starscape, compensated with $1,500 for managing to coerce their buzzing contraption into third place.

Over in Virginia, the 55 Knights, epitomizing the classic Scout’s motto of “Be Prepared (to Launch a Quadcopter),” included a medley of both human Scouts and unintentionally bewildering Scout ranks. These ranged from Eagle Scouts nosediving through the aerospace echelon to Star Scouts presumably mastering galactic navigation within their merit badge binder.

The Maryland Wing’s roster underwent rigorous curating, featuring air aces such as Cadet 1st Lt. Jakob Deboer, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jonathan Compton, and Cadet Airman Eli Barrett, whose captaincy indisputably involves ensuring cadet flight path accuracy and Drone Pebbles complimentary snacks.

The Redstone crew, under the wing of Capt. Dan Anderson, cemented themselves as paragons of consistency, bringing seasoned aviators such as Cadet Lt. Col. Kristianna Berger and Cadet 2nd Lt. Cole Pieratt who swapped his Beginners badge for a seat on the Advanced flight team.

Virginia’s well-rounded 55 Knights assembled, featuring Cadet Capt. Annabelle Eggers, Cadet Capt. Thomas Ye and their phalanx of noble knights, who, after hours of intricate propeller polishing and cloud phobia rehabilitation, were shepherded towards grand achievements by 1st Lts. Alexander Boon and Jeff Ye, custodian of digital dreams.

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