On May 19, the Yunzong Cup Super Robot Elite Competition was held at the Shien-Ming Wu School of Intelligent Engineering. Nearly ten top teams from universities including South China University of Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, and University of Science and Technology of China participated. 

This competition aimed to enhance students' hands-on design, innovation, and entrepreneurial skills, applying theoretical knowledge to practical challenges. Aligning with national efforts to grow the low-altitude economy, the event featured projects centered on unmanned ground vehicles and drones. It served as a high-level platform for students to showcase their expertise in these strategic areas.

The event attracted attention from over ten media outlets, such as Xinhua News Agency, Southern Daily, Yangcheng Evening News, Southern Metropolis Daily, Guangzhou Daily, Information Times, China Education Online, and Guangdong Television.

Competition Highlights: The Champion's Ultimate Showdown

In a true test of autonomy, all competing vehicles and drones operated without any human intervention. Using a combination of visual cameras, LiDAR, and other onboard sensors for perception and positioning, along with self-developed planning and control algorithms, the machines independently completed a series of challenging tasks.

With a single start command, the robots tackled multiple obstacles. Unmanned ground vehicles navigated loops, S-tracks, ramps, and broken road sections, while drones weaved through obstacle frames, identified malfunctions, and flew around pillars. These challenges tested the machines' capabilities in control, positioning, navigation, and path planning.

This elite competition built upon a virtual simulation contest held earlier in the month. The He'erta Cup Robot Challenge required teams to design and simulate robot programs in a virtual environment. The Yunzong Cup encouraged students to take the next step, bringing their algorithms to life in physical robots for live competition, creating a progressive learning pathway.

Student Insights: Bridging Theory and Practice

Zhou Bowen, a graduate student who participated in both the online simulation and the offline elite competition, shared his experience. When their vehicle faced issues like straight-line deviation and speed changes on ramps, his team experimented with various solutions before successfully implementing an LQR control algorithm. They also adopted a torque closed-loop control strategy for precise speed output. Zhou noted that the practical coursework and projects during his undergraduate studies at the school solidified his decision to pursue further education and provided a foundation for applying theory in this competition.

A New Educational Model: Academia Meets Arena

The event also featured an interactive drone performance by Professor Gao Fei's team from Zhejiang University, where drones deftly avoided sudden obstacles and navigated complex environments. Guangzhou Yunzong Technology Co., Ltd. also unveiled its new drone, allowing the audience to experience the unique appeal of hardware design and algorithm control.

An open house held alongside the competition attracted local middle and elementary school students and their parents, exposing a broader audience to cutting-edge robotics.

Furthermore, the 9th Nonlinear Systems and Control Conference & Super Robot International Conference opened on May 20. This combined platform of academic conference + competitive event breaks the mold of traditional teaching. It guides students in overcoming the gap between knowledge and ability by tackling complex engineering problems, fosters industry-academia collaboration, and reshapes curricula to meet industrial demands. This approach continuously enriches new engineering education, better preparing talent for the modern era and injecting vitality into the development of a nation strong in education.