Indonesian students from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Diponegoro University (Undip) have reportedly entered the second round of the world's aviation competition hosted by aerospace company Airbus Group.
The students were part of three teams, namely Garuda Ganesha and Pocket Rocket from ITB and Swing from Undip.
Held in partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Airbus Fly Your Ideas competition challenged students across the globe to contribute new and innovative ideas related to the aviation industry, including efficiency in flight operation, new systems for passenger experience and innovative business models.
The Indonesian teams proposed three different ideas: a new overhead bin concept to improve passenger comfort and loading efficiency, an artificial intelligence program to increase fuel efficiency and improve aerodynamics and the development of Airbus Skyland, a revenue-generating marketing theme park where unused Airbus airplanes can find new lives.
The ideas were assessed by a group of 60 Airbus experts and the evaluation process took place at four different Airbus locations in France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Airbus executive engineering vice president Charles Champion said in a press release that the competition offered the students opportunities to interact with senior specialists. "In turn, these experts will benefit from direct interaction with young talent from across the globe, sharing the same passion for one of the world’s most exciting industries."
In the second round, the teams will start developing ideas and share updates with photos, sketches and stories on the program's website, in which five teams will be selected to continue to a third round.
Participants who enter the final round will be given the opportunity to spend a week at the ProtoSpace base at the company's headquarter in Toulouse, France, to create prototypes of their ideas. Slated to be announced in May 2017, the winners will receive a €30,000 (US$31,317) prize.
The Jakarta Post
