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SAFMC is a renowned competition in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, with participants from institutions across various countries. This year, Aksantara once again proved itself as the top non-Singaporean UAV team, delivering an outstanding performance throughout the event.

Thorough Preparation That Paid Off

The team began its preparations in December 2024 by establishing team structure and assigning roles. From then until March 2025, Aksantara studied the competition rules and objectives, developed UAV design concepts, and went through intensive prototyping and test flight phases.

“Our biggest challenge came during the preparation stage—when a well-developed idea failed during implementation. That forced us to go back to square one and work twice as hard,” said Jeffrey Sirait, Aksantara’s Team Leader and Aerospace Engineering student, class of 2022, on Monday (July 14, 2025).

Jeffrey emphasized that teamwork and effective communication were key to their success. The team also learned the importance of gradual innovation, which helped reduce risks and ease troubleshooting during technical setbacks. This approach strengthened the UAV design foundation throughout the development phase.

A Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration at ITB

Aksantara is made up of students from various departments at ITB, including Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Informatics, and Engineering and Information System Technology.

This multidisciplinary composition enabled the team to integrate a wide range of expertise, covering Aerodynamic and Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Mechanics, UAV Piloting, Avionics Hardware Control, and Robotics Software Control.

The entire project was carried out with guidance and support from faculty advisor Dr. Ishak Hilton Pujantoro Tnunay, from the Computer Engineering Research Group at STEI ITB, who mentored the team from the early stages to the competition itself.

Second Consecutive Win in the Same Competition

This achievement follows Aksantara’s previous success. In 2024, the team also won a Gold Medal and was awarded Best International Team at SAFMC 2024 (See article: ITB’s Aksantara Team Achieves International Recognition: Gold Medal in Category D1 and Best International Team at SAFMC 2024).

In addition to SAFMC, Aksantara actively participates in other international competitions such as TUBITAK Teknofest in Turkey, to broaden its experience and insights in the UAV field.

Aksantara extended its gratitude to all supporting parties, especially the ITB Directorate of Student Affairs, the university, and everyone who provided facilities, funding, and UAV testing spaces. This support serves as a vital foundation for the team’s continuous development and international achievements.

With this success, Aksantara hopes to inspire other ITB students to continue innovating, collaborating across disciplines, and having the courage to compete globally.