Ahmedabad: A student team from the Institute of Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Management (IITRAM), Ahmedabad, has achieved a major milestone by winning ₹2.00 lakh in prize money at ROBOFEST–GUJARAT 5.0, one of India’s largest robotics competitions. The award was secured under the “Aerial Minefield Navigation Challenge”, organised by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), Gandhinagar.
The project has successfully advanced from Level II (Proof of Concept) to Level III (Prototype), as confirmed through official communication from GUJCOST. This progression reflects the project’s strong technical merit, innovation, and real-world applicability, particularly in the domain of autonomous systems operating in hazardous and GPS-denied environments.
The winning project focuses on the development of an autonomous multi-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) system designed for safe navigation, hazard detection, and coordinated mission execution in minefield-like scenarios. The system leverages onboard sensing, embedded intelligence, and inter-drone coordination, significantly reducing reliance on external infrastructure and enhancing operational robustness and reliability in high-risk environments.
The student team comprises Husain Lokhandwala, Falgun Baria, Adidev Shah, and Dhyan Patel, all undergraduate students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, currently enrolled in the Minor in Drone Technology programme at IITRAM. The project was guided by Dr. Ajit Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, IITRAM.
Congratulating the team and faculty mentor, Prof. P. K. Jain, Director General, IITRAM, said, “This achievement underscores IITRAM’s growing emphasis on hands-on learning, interdisciplinary research, and student-led innovation in emerging areas such as drones, robotics, and autonomous systems. Such accomplishments reflect the institute’s commitment to nurturing future-ready engineers and researchers.”
The recognition at ROBOFEST–GUJARAT 5.0 further strengthens IITRAM’s position as a hub for applied research and innovation aligned with national priorities in advanced technology and defence-related applications.