Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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The research team from the Higher School of Engineering and Economics of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade at SPbPU achieved significant success, taking third place in the finals of the 17th All-Russian Intersectoral Youth Competition for Scientific and Technical Works and Projects "Youth and the Future of Aviation and Cosmonautics."
The "Youth and the Future of Aviation and Astronautics" competition has a rich history. It was first held in 2009, and since 2014 has become an integral part of the international Aerospace Science Week program. Its distinguishing feature is its unique prize fund, which is funded by aerospace industry companies and amounts to at least 1,500,000 rubles. The goals include identifying promising innovative projects, building a professional community, and strengthening ties between science and industry.
This year, the competition aimed to comprehensively address several strategic objectives. The key goals of the event were to identify talented young people and promising research teams from young scientists, university specialists, and industrial enterprises, as well as to identify and support the most interesting and significant innovative projects. Furthermore, an important objective was to foster a youth-focused professional community for the active exchange of cutting-edge scientific approaches and technologies as a foundation for strengthening corporate ties between education, science, and the real economy.
The competition's scientific areas covered key segments of the aerospace industry.
Aviation Systems: Research in the design and operation of aircraft. Unmanned Systems and Technologies: Development of autonomous systems and intelligent solutions. Aircraft Engines and Power Plants: Modern engine and power supply concepts. Digital Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics: Digitalization of processes and the creation of robotic systems. Rocket and Space Systems: Advanced developments for space exploration. Advanced Materials and New Manufacturing Technologies: Innovative materials and additive manufacturing for the aerospace industry.
The research project "Integration of Deep Learning and Stereo Vision Algorithms into the Architecture of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Environmental Monitoring" was selected by an expert committee from among 221 applications and accepted for an in-person defense in Moscow. The research team presented a prototype of their development, demonstrating the operating principle of the analytical UAV. The project, developed by a research group led by VIES Associate Professor Evgeny Konnikov, was highly praised by experts in the "Unmanned Systems and Technologies" program. The research was led by Prokhor Polyakov, a first-year student in the "Automation of Statistical Decisions in Organizations" master's program, and Olesya Starchenkova, a VIES assistant and graduate of the "IT Economics and Business Analysis" program. The team from the Higher School of Engineering and Economics took third place in the finals of the 17th All-Russian Intersectoral Youth Competition of Scientific and Technical Projects "Youth and the Future of Aviation and Cosmonautics."
"The Watchman" is an analytical UAV based on a heavy FPV drone with a Raspberry Pi 5 and a stereo camera, designed for the automatic detection of trash and illegal dumping sites. It uses the YOLOv8 neural network, which recognizes waste in a video stream, estimates its distance using stereo vision, and records findings in reports along with coordinates and photos. The system operates in near real-time (≈5 fps) and provides up to 30 minutes of flight time, making it suitable for environmental monitoring, said Olesya Starchenkova, a member of the research team and assistant at VIES.
The key objective of the project is to improve the organizational and economic mechanism for environmental protection of the population within the regional economic system.
A total of 79 projects advanced to the finals. The defenses were held in person and included a presentation of the results to experts. The competition entries were evaluated based on a set of interrelated criteria: relevance of the topic, scientific novelty, depth of analysis of analogs, degree of elaboration of the solution, practical value of the project, and the authors' personal contribution. This multifaceted approach allowed the experts to objectively identify the most promising developments with the potential to make a significant contribution to the development of the aerospace industry.
The final round of the competition took place at the Moscow Aviation Institute. The program included in-person poster presentations, a scientific discussion with leading industry experts, and a roundtable discussion on "Identifying and Promoting Research and Development." A formal summing up of the results and the awards ceremony for the winners and laureates took place on the same day. The SPbPU team received special recognition for their work with diplomas from Progress Research and Production Company, a company that supplies enterprises with testing systems, including its own. Progress Research and Production Company collaborates with research institutes, large domestic companies, and industry leaders, which will significantly facilitate the expansion of the Polytechnic University team's activities.
Dmitry Rodionov, Director of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics, was invited to support the team in the second stage of the competition.
The finalists had a unique opportunity to present their developments to leading scientists and representatives of major companies in the aviation, rocket and space, and defense industries. The winners were awarded diplomas, cash prizes, and sponsor awards, as well as the opportunity to publish their work in leading peer-reviewed journals such as the Moscow Aviation Institute Bulletin and the MAI Transactions.
Dmitry Rodionov, Director of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics, emphasized the significance of the Polytechnic students' work: "Our team's victory in the all-Russian competition is not just a success, but a logical result of the systematic work of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics. We create an environment where talented students and young scientists can implement ambitious projects at the intersection of engineering, economics, and digital technologies. It is particularly valuable that our work on environmental monitoring using UAVs was highly praised by leading experts in the aerospace industry. This confirms the correctness of our chosen development direction and demonstrates the relevance of interdisciplinary research in solving today's pressing challenges."
The Polytech-Invest research laboratory, led by Evgeny Konnikov, specializes in investment consulting and the development of digital and technical solutions for businesses. The laboratory's uniqueness lies in its combination of practical consulting for industry and the development of advanced technologies, strengthening the university's ties to the real economy.
In addition to the competition program, the forum program included meetings with experienced industry specialists, roundtables and master classes, exhibitions, satellite competitions, and special programs for the youngest representatives—schoolchildren, for whom a separate scientific and competition program has been organized for several years.
The successful performance of the VIESH team in the final of such a high-level event demonstrated the high quality of scientific research conducted within the walls of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics and its growing authority in the country's scientific and technical community.
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