Muscat – The second edition of Oman AI-Enhanced Drone Competition concluded on Thursday at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), held under the patronage of H H Sayyid Dr Fahd bin al Julanda al Said, Vice-Chancellor of the university.

Organised by SQU’s College of Engineering in collaboration with Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, the competition is part of the Makeen Initiative for digital competency development. It aims to raise awareness on drone applications, enhance technological skills among Omani youth, and support economic growth by fostering expertise in AI-integrated drone technology. It also prepares participants for regional and international competitions.

Winners were announced in two categories. In the Remote Control Category, Sanad al Salmi from SQU secured first place, followed by Luqman al Saqri from Military Technical College. In the AI-Powered Autonomous Control Category, Osama al Rawahi and Yusuf al Shuaili from SQU won first place, while Ayah al Balushi, Sumaiya  al Shamli and Zainab al Mahrouqi, also from SQU, took second place.

The competition attracted 120 participants, including students and jobseekers from diverse disciplines. It was conducted in two phases. The first, held from July to September 2024, focused on manual drone operations. Participants completed a 15-hour intensive programme covering drone types, applications, regulations, safety protocols, and practical training in drone assembly and piloting through virtual simulators, controlled indoor environments and open-air flights.

The second phase, in January 2025, was dedicated to AI-powered autonomous control. The top 40 participants from the first phase advanced to workshops on AI integration, computer vision and algorithm development. The training combined theoretical learning with hands-on experience in virtual simulations and real-world lab testing.

The final competition rounds began mid-February 2025. In the Remote Control Category, 30 participants competed in the first elimination round, with 20 advancing to the second round and ten finalists competing for the top prize. In the AI-Powered Autonomous Control Category, 20 participants started in the first round, 16 progressed to the second, and 14 moved to the third, with the final ten competing in the concluding round at the end of February.