Robotics, drone teams to battle in Huntington

Teams from across West Virginia and beyond will battle it out by land and by air during two days of robotics competitions hosted by the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) at Marshall University.

On Dec. 3, RCBI will host the Marshall University VEX IQ Robotics Qualifier at Huntington Tri-State Airport. Elementary and middle school teams will build and program robots, which they will maneuver on a playing field to score points by completing a series of tasks. Twenty-five teams are scheduled to participate.

Middle and high school aerial robotics teams will compete Dec. 4 in the RCBI-sponsored RAD Aerial Drone Qualifier, which also will take place at Huntington Tri-State Airport. More than 20 teams from West Virginia and Kentucky will score points by flying their drones through and around obstacles while completing a series of tasks.

Both events, which run from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, will take place at the Marshall University Aviation Maintenance Technology facilities at the airport (1433 County Route 3/1, Huntington, WV). The events are open to the public. The top-scoring teams in both competitions have the opportunity to advance: to the state robotics championship or to the world drone tournament.

The robotics events are designed to promote STEM learning and teamwork. “Increasing participation and providing opportunities is a key goal of RCBI’s STEM education initiatives,” said STEM Coordinator Deacon Stone. “Hosting these events takes a great deal of coordination and effort, but we consider them wholly worthwhile because they represent a critical investment in STEM education for students – and they’re fun for everyone involved.”

The events are made possible through the generous support of the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, the West Virginia Robotics Alliance, the Katherine Johnson NASA IV&V Education Resource Center, Marshall University and Huntington Tri-State Airport.

For more information, contact Stone at or 304.781.1659.

Nov. 29, 2022

Other News

View All News

Richwood Industries turns to MAMC in time of need

For more than four decades, Richwood Industries of Huntington has been manufacturing conveyor systems used in mining and bulk materials handling industries across the nation and around the world. The company operates three manufacturing facilities in Huntington....

read more

Military innovations come to life at MAMC

The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) has a storied reputation of assisting manufacturers and entrepreneurs, but what many people don’t know is that MAMC is a center for military innovation as well. As one of a handful of designated makerspaces for the...

read more

WV Inventors Society to meet June 22 in Huntington

The West Virginia Inventors Society continues its statewide tour to promote and support innovation with a June 22 meeting of the minds in Huntington. Hosted by the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (1050 Fourth Ave.), the free event will include presentations by...

read more

Center honors achievements of student machinists, welders

The Marshall University Advanced Manufacturing Center (formerly the Robert C. Byrd Institute - RCBI), honored graduates and certificate completers of its Machinist Technology/CNC and Welding Technology programs during a ceremony Thursday in Huntington. The students –...

read more

RCBI is now the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center

Marshall University President Brad D. Smith joined campus and community leaders, policymakers, and team members of the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) this week to announce a new name for the long-time institute, which now will be known as the Marshall Advanced...

read more