NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 24 // -- Hobby-Lobby International (http://www.hobby-lobby.com) is proud to congratulate Aaron Donaldson and Simeon O'Neill on their victory in the 2008 UAV Challenge - Outback Rescue in Queensland, Australia.
"Team Telemaster" entered and won with a Hobby-Lobby Senior Telemaster kit purchased over 30 years ago by Aaron's dad. Aaron was 18 months old at the time of purchase.
Furthermore, they beat two other university-sponsored teams that outspent them 4 to 1 or more. "Everyone was aerospace engineers; Simeon and I didn't finish more than a semester of engineering," Aaron said. "And both university teams crashed their planes."
Pictures and stories of the contest, and the original plane (and Aaron) in 1978, are available here: http://ausuav.com/
"The entire team at Hobby-Lobby is thrilled to see our classic Telemaster take on the big guys and win," said Hobby-Lobby President Jay Graves. "The Telemaster has been a consistently great plane for R/C pilots looking for easy flying characteristics combined with a simple assembly process. We are now seeing lots of interest in using this affordable, proven platform by hobbyists and universities interested in expanding the civilian possibilities for UAVs."
The high-wing Telemaster comes in a variety of sizes from micro to a version with a 12-foot wingspan. Assembly options include kits, which are built piece by piece, or "Almost Ready to Fly" (ARF) planes that only require the addition of an engine and electronics.
"No matter the size, nothing flies like a Telemaster. It is a dream in the air and people will be saying the same 30 years from now as well!" Graves said.
About the Competition:
The creation of the 2008 UAV Challenge - Outback Rescue (http://www.uavoutbackchallenge.com.au/uavoutbackchallenge/) is a direct outcome from a workshop that Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA) conducted in 2005. The workshop was called The Future of UAVs - Challenges and Applications in the Asia Pacific Region.
At this workshop, a group of aerospace industry leaders and UAV experts got together to develop a plan which would allow growth in the Australian civil UAV industry and raise awareness of the potential civilian applications.
In Australia, and particularly in Queensland where regional areas and coastlines are unpopulated, the ever-growing need to manage, maintain and monitor land and sea in a productive and manageable way is becoming an important requirement to ensure a sustainable future. The challenge has been designed to demonstrate the usefulness of UAVs to modern society.
About Hobby-Lobby International
Hobby-Lobby International is a 43-year-old, Tennessee-based company providing high-quality RC airplanes, helicopters and boats. To learn more, or to order a Telemaster of your own, visit Hobby-Lobby at http://www.hobby-lobby.com, or call toll-free, 866-WE-FLY-RC (866-933-5972).
Contact:
Jay Graves
Hobby-Lobby International
615-732-7222
feedback@hobby-lobby.com
http://www.hobby-lobby.com
For more information, visit .
