Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Events
  • /
  • Aviation Minister helps Raytheon celebrate Britain’s young engineers

Events

Aviation Minister helps Raytheon celebrate Britain’s young engineers

Baroness Sugg CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, has joined with Raytheon to help celebrate some of Britain’s brightest young talents at the finale of a unique nationwide engineering competition.



Above: Baroness Sugg assesses a team from the High School For Girls in Gloucester in Raytheon’s Quadcopter Challenge.
Courtesy Raytheon

School pupils from England, Scotland and Wales took to the skies to compete in Raytheon’s fourth annual Quadcopter Challenge in Birmingham last week (12 December 2018).

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

Above: An all-girl team from Gloucester take on Raytheon’s Quadcopter Challenge in Birmingham last week.
Courtesy Raytheon

The contest saw 86 teams of young people from over 30 schools, cadet and youth groups near Raytheon’s sites across England, Scotland and Wales learn to build and fly unique aerial vehicles. Teams from six regions competed in Birmingham, with Kingdown School, Warminster, emerging victorious.

The teams were mentored by Raytheon’s STEM ambassadors; volunteers from the company who support local schools and youth clubs to inspire young people with STEM. The ambassadors volunteered over 2,500 hours of time during the competition.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

Above: Team Green Arrow from Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Wales take on Raytheon’s Quadcopter Challenge.
Courtesy Raytheon

The teams took on challenges designed to test speed, agility and accuracy, while being assessed on creativity and engineering skill. More than 1,000 young people have been supported by the scheme since its launch.

Baroness Sugg said: “It is great to see the potential of these future engineers and to see Raytheon championing science and engineering skills across the UK with this excellent competition.

“Through our Aviation Strategy we are exploring how new technologies like drones and urban air mobility vehicles will transform the way we travel, and it is vital that we develop the skills of our young people now so the UK stays at the forefront of transport innovation.
“There are many exciting careers in aerospace and aviation. Through our Year of Engineering, we are working to ensure young people from all backgrounds are aware of, and able to access, the many opportunities these jobs offer.”

Raytheon UK engineering director Alex Rose-Parfitt added: “Raytheon is eager to do its part to inspire Britain’s next generation of engineers.”

“A unique aspect of the Quadcopter Challenge is the mentoring that teams receive from our STEM ambassadors, who as well as offering advice on aerodynamics and technical tips, act as relatable, local role models, showing the huge potential of a career in STEM.”

 

Advertisement
Cranfield University
Lane Electronics to showcase connectivity solutions at DSEI 2025

Defence Security Events

Lane Electronics to showcase connectivity solutions at DSEI 2025

15 July 2025

Franchised distributor of electrical, electronic and optical connectors, Lane Electronics, will be exhibiting at DSEI 2025 (9th–12th September 2025, Excel London) will have the opportunity to explore the company’s latest connector technologies and its UK-based assembly and services.

Celestia UK starts building world’s first Ka-band multi-beam gateway

Space Events

Celestia UK starts building world’s first Ka-band multi-beam gateway

15 July 2025

Celestia UK is announcing at the UK Space Conference 2025 (Manchester, 16th-17th July 2025) that it has commenced the preproduction stage of a new generation of ground station gateway.

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

Aerospace Defence Events

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

11 July 2025

Lane Electronics, a franchised distributor for many of the industry’s major electrical, electronic and optical connector manufacturers, will be Exhibiting at MSPO 2025 (2nd–5th September 2025, Kielce, Poland), where they will be displaying the latest connector innovations and demonstrating their UK based assembling and value add services.

Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

Aerospace Defence Events

Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

11 July 2025

Amersham based aerospace business Flitetec, has confirmed two major deals that it shook on at the recent Paris Air Show.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
Advanced Engineering 2025 extends additives and composites spotlight

Aerospace Events

Advanced Engineering 2025 extends additives and composites spotlight

7 July 2025

Taking place on 29th and 30th October 2025 at the NEC Birmingham, Advanced Engineering will have a new expanded Composites Pavilion, SME Village, the ADS Pavilion, AM2 Forum (Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Forum) and a focused Electronics Zone.

UK achieves silver at the International Youth Rocketry Championships

Space Events

UK achieves silver at the International Youth Rocketry Championships

7 July 2025

A team of four students from Teignmouth Community School in Devon came second in the International Youth Rocketry Championships, narrowly missing pole position in a nail-biting final.

Advertisement
ODU RT