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We are proud to announce that the Yorktown High School Aeronautics Club has won a national championship. This remarkable achievement comes just two years after the club's inception.
Known as the “Corntographers,” the club competed against other teenage drone enthusiasts from July 22 to 24 in the prestigious UAS4STEM competition in OshKosh, Wisconsin. Following a preliminary round in the spring, they were one of five teams to qualify for the finals in the Beginner Division.
This year marked the club’s second consecutive appearance at UAS4STEM. The national competition takes place during AirVenture, a celebration of aviation that attracts more than a half-million visitors to OshKosh.
The Aeronautics Club was founded by student Sharik Bose in the second half of the 2022-23 school year. The club has thrived and exemplified teamwork, communication, and collaboration — essential skills for success in the field of aeronautics.
Now a rising senior, Sharik expressed his gratitude and excitement, stating, "Placing first among extremely skilled and capable teams at the national level is a dream come true!"
The club's success is attributed not only to their technical expertise but also their dedication to safety and preparedness. Their autonomous flight missions require programming skills, understanding GPS coordinates, and quick decision-making. The team refined its strategies throughout the practice sessions and prepared its drone to withstand various weather conditions.
Sharik said he is grateful for the District's support. In addition to the Aeronautics Club's success, the launch of the drone elective class in the 2023-24 school year demonstrates the District's commitment to fostering innovation and preparing students for future career opportunities in the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) field. The course emphasizes flying regulations and hands-on piloting in order to prepare students for the Federal Aviation Administration’s drone certification exam.
Sharik hopes the Aeronautics Club continues to grow and excel in the coming years, even after his graduation. He encourages more students to join the club, saying it offers “something for everyone.”
Looking ahead, the club aims to extend its impact beyond competitions. The Corntographers hope to live up to their team’s name, which is a play on the word cartography, the science of mapmaking. The club also has community-oriented goals, such as partnering with local emergency responders on search and rescue efforts and providing workshops for younger students.
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