Four Cadet Teams Reach National Drone Competition Finals — 1 Advanced, 3 Beginner

Four cadet teams – two from the Alabama Wing and one each from the Maryland and Tennessee wings – are representing Civil Air Patrol in the Academy of Model Aeronautics UAS4STEM drone competition at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

The Alabama Wing’s Redstone Composite Squadron team is CAP’s entry in the Advanced Division. Last year’s Redstone Composite entry, including five members returning this year, finished second overall in the eight-team national finals.  The squadron has now reached the national championship round three straight years.

The winning teams will be announced July 26.

This year’s national finals consist of two six-team fields, the Advanced Division and the Beginner Division.

All but one of the Alabama Wing’s Beginner Division joint team hail from the Redstone squadron, with the roster rounded out by a Mountain Lakes Composite Squadron cadet.

The other two Beginners Division teams are the Maryland Wing’s St. Mary’s Composite Squadron and the Tennessee Wing’s Greeneville Composite Squadron.

UAS4STEM is the Academy for Model Aeronautics’ Unmanned Aerial Systems for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math program. The Beginner Division teams will focus on the fundamentals of drone programming and flying. Advanced Division competitors will work to develop a mechanism to pick up and transport items to different locations.

Alabama Wing Advanced Division Team – Redstone Composite Squadron

• Cadet Lt. Cols. Aeryn Anderson and Aidan Anderson
   
• Cadet Maj. Ben Lambertson
   
• Cadet Capts. Kristianna Berger and Greyston Harper
   
• Cadet Master Sgt. Brody Stokes (team captain)
   
• Cadet Senior Airman Thomas Fleming
   
• Cadet Airman 1st Class Jeremy Fielding Jr.

All but Berger, Fielding and Fleming competed on the 2022 team that finished second nationally,

Alabama Wing Joint Beginner Division Team – Redstone Composite Squadron and Mountain Lakes Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgts. Judah Cobert and Johnathan Drake
   
• Cadet Tech. Sgt. Emily Butera (team captain)
   
• Cadet Staff Sgt, Benjamin Booth
   
• Cadet Airmen 1st Class Christopher Parakkal and Lara Valcarcel 
   
• Cadet Airmen Elizabeth Parakkal and Paul Valcarcel
   

Maryland Wing Beginner Division Team – St. Mary's Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Rachael Rioux (team lead) 
   
• Cadet Airmen Eli Barrett, Josiah Huckabee, and Matthew Matthias II