// DRONE DEVELOPMENT
// HIGH-QUALITY INNOVATION
// UAS CHALLENGE WORLD CHAMPIONS
// Who We Are
Team Bath Drones is a student-led engineering team at the University of Bath that design, build and fly autonomous drones. The team is composed of students of all ages, backgrounds and drone experience.
Team Bath Drones compete in the IMechE UAS Challenge where teams from across the globe fly their autonomous drones in a series of technical and operational challenges.
Team Bath Drones are current world champions of the IMechE UAS Challenge.
// What We Build
BLUEFIN (IN PRODUCTION)
BLUEFIN will be the 2026 competition entry drone for Team Bath Drones. The UAS is currently transitioning into the manufacturing stage, with early prototyping efforts underway. The drone will be capable of carrying a █ kg water payload with precise release over designated way points. With a drive toward innovation, this design features ████████ and custom, in-house ███████ . The structure is composed of ████████ and ████████ for exceptional structural efficiency. Exact specifications are currently confidential, but keep vigilant of press releases as the design matures.
SULIS
SULIS was the competition winning 2025 entry developed by Team Bath Drones. Featuring a parachute released 3 kg payload drop at an impressive 10 kg MTOW, the UAS performed exceptionally during flight trials with commendable take-off and landing performance. The structure was crafted from a highly-sustainable flax-fibre composite, earning the Sustainability Award by IMechE in recognition. The V-tail along with lifting fuselage provided desirable manual handling qualities to complement the nominally autonomy-supporting avionics systems.
// Our Awards
Since its formation in 2014, Team Bath Drones has continually evolved in response to the changing technical demands of the IMechE UAS Challenge, with each competition cycle driving major improvements in aircraft design, autonomy, and systems integration.
This steady development culminated in a 2nd place overall finish in 2024, alongside multiple technical awards, before reaching a major milestone in 2025, where Team Bath Drones were crowned overall champions, also receiving the Scrutineering and Sustainability Awards in recognition of both technical excellence and professional engineering practice.
Grand Champions
2025
Runners-Up
2024
Design & Innovation Awards
2018-19
Grand Champions
2017
// Support Us
Team Bath Drones thrive with the generous support provided by our partners in industry. In return we offer our partners with exclusive access to an incredible talent pool as well as wide publicity. Why not learn more about our current partners and speak to us today?
