Celebrating UAS Excellence
Your work deserves recognition. Submissions are now open.
The Dronies Awards recognize excellence in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) across aerospace
innovation, education, research, safety and professional practice.
The 2026 awards will honor outstanding individuals and teams whose work demonstrates
technical excellence, responsible flight operations and meaningful impact in the UAS
ecosystem.
The Dronies Awards ceremony will be held April 2 at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center from 5:15-6:30 P.M. Light refreshments will
be served.
Divisions and Award Categories
Professional Division
- Drone Innovator of the Year
- Best Advanced Aerospace Application of UAS
- Best Research or Inspection Mission
- Outstanding Contribution to UAS Safety & Professionalism
Collegiate Division
- Best Capstone Project/Club Project/ or Research Project Using UAS
- Best Engineering + Flight Integration
- Rising UAS Professional Award
Submission Rules and Requirements
- Eligibility
- Open to individuals and teams in professional, collegiate, high school, and novice categories.
- Projects must have been completed or substantially developed within the last 18 months.
- Teams may submit one entry per category.
- Submissions may include video, documentation, technical summaries, and supporting materials.
- Entrants must have the right to submit all media and content provided.
- Submission Requirements
Each submission must include:
- Project Title & Category
- Short Project Description (150–300 words)
- Media (video, images, or mission footage, as applicable)
- Statement of Purpose or Impact (what problem was addressed, what was learned, or what value was created)
- Safety & Compliance Statement (see below)
- Optional (recommended for Professional and Collegiate Divisions)
- Technical overview, mission planning summary, or research context
- Links to publications, reports, or project documentation (if applicable)
- Safety & Compliance
All submissions must reflect safe, legal, and responsible UAS operations.
- Flights must comply with applicable aviation regulations (e.g., FAA Part 107 or local equivalents).
- Submissions involving restricted airspace, unsafe maneuvers, or reckless operation may be disqualified.
- Projects demonstrating strong safety practices and mission planning may receive favorable consideration, particularly for aerospace and research categories.