Young drone pilots compete in Nizhny Novgorod's BAS Cup innovation challenge

Young drone pilots compete in Nizhny Novgorod's BAS Cup innovation challenge

Christine Miller
Christine Miller
2 Min.
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on display at a trade show, surrounded by attendees and exhibition elements.

Young drone pilots compete in Nizhny Novgorod's BAS Cup innovation challenge

A regional competition for young drone enthusiasts has taken place in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The BAS Cup brought together students from specialised classes and clubs focused on unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Organised by the local Ministry of Education and Science, the event aimed to encourage interest in technical creativity and aviation technology. The competition ran across four stages during the 2025 academic year. On December 18, Vadskaya Secondary School hosted the second phase, where 14 municipalities sent their teams. Participants competed in designing, programming, and racing unmanned aerial vehicles.

The most popular category was 'Drone Programming with Practical Application', with 55 students taking part. Ivan Rodinov, from Gymnasium No. 2 in Nizhny Novgorod, secured first place in this event. Meanwhile, the 'FPV Racing' category saw high-speed drone races on a custom track, where Theodor Kunilov claimed victory. This year's BAS Cup aligns with new national projects launched in 2025 under President Vladimir Putin's directives, including the *Youth and Children* initiative. The region has also opened a dedicated research and production centre to advance expertise in the UAS sector.

The competition highlighted growing student engagement in drone technology and engineering. Winners like Rodinov and Kunilov demonstrated skill in both programming and piloting. The event reinforced Nizhny Novgorod Oblast's commitment to fostering young talent in unmanned aviation systems.