TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition

TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition is an engineering competition focused on advanced technology, aiming to equip unmanned aerial vehicles with swarm algorithms so they can perform designated tasks together in a coordinated manner. It is organized within the framework of TEKNOFEST Aviation, Space and Technology Festival, led by Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) and the Ministry of Industry and Technology.

The primary objective of the competition is to encourage the development of software and algorithms for swarm UAV technology, guide young engineers toward productivity in this field, and contribute to the emergence of solutions applicable in both military and civilian contexts national. Swarm UAV systems consist of autonomous aerial vehicles that operate collectively without requiring a central control unit, inspired by collective behaviors observed in nature such as bird flocks and fish schools. The competition holds significant value in testing these artificial intelligence based systems under true world conditions, enhancing practical application skills, and transforming theoretical knowledge into technology.

^{TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition (Photo: T3 Foundation)}

Swarm UAV systems operate using a bio-inspired building that mimics collective behaviors of bird flocks and fish schools. Each UAV continuously communicates with nearby vehicles to autonomously perform tasks such as task allocation, obstacle avoidance, route planning, and target tracking such as. This technology can be applied across diverse fields including firefighting, logistics operations, agricultural spraying, border security, search and rescue missions, and enemy radar deception.

Teams of 3 to 10 participants, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as final-year graduates from Türkiye or abroad, education in the preliminary bachelor's degree stage, may enter the competition. Participating teams are responsible for developing the necessary software and algorithms enabling UAVs to execute tasks as a swarm. These algorithms are evaluated in real-world conditions during the final phase of the competition.

The competition follows a five-stage evaluation process:

1. Preliminary Design Report
2. Preliminary Evaluation Presentation
3. Critical Design Report
4. Flight Proof and Software Evaluation Video
5. Final Competition

In each stage, teams are scored based on their technical competence, operational success, system reliability, originality, and applicability. Report templates and technical documentation are announced on TEKNOFEST’s official website.

^{TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition (Photo: T3 Foundation)}

The TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition aligns with the vision of the National Technology Initiative and contributes to Türkiye’s goals of enhancing its defense and advanced technology capabilities and strengthening national production capacity. In recent years, Türkiye’s investments in swarm UAV technology have further increased the importance of this competition. The competition serves as a critical platform for identifying the talents of young engineer candidates, integrating them into national projects, and nurturing the next generation that will design the autonomous air fleets of the future.

The advancement of swarm UAV technology will provide innovative solutions across numerous domains, from intelligent city management to natural disaster response, border security, and reconnaissance and surveillance operations. In this context, the TEKNOFEST Swarm UAV Competition is regarded not merely as a contest but as an innovation arena that fosters young people’s ability to create, apply, and deliver technology to society benefit.