United International University (UIU) organized a reception on Wednesday to celebrate the achievement of its Aerial Robotics Team (UART), which secured fourth place globally at the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) 2026 Competition in the United States.
The reception was held at 10am at the UIU campus.
The competition was held from September 14-17 at Skyway Range in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Competing internationally for the first time, UART finished fourth among 81 teams from different countries.
According to UIU, the team became the first Bangladeshi team in the history of the SUAS Competition to secure a podium position.
The SUAS competition has been held annually since 2003. This year, 81 teams participated in the competition.
Despite challenging weather conditions that caused 21 teams to crash, UART successfully completed its mission, with strategic decision-making and technical expertise contributing to its fourth-place finish, the university said.
Chief Guest Prof Dr Md Abul Kashem Mia, vice-chancellor of UIU, said the achievement reflected the students’ talent, hard work, innovative thinking and technical expertise.
He said the success demonstrated the capabilities of Bangladesh’s higher education sector and young generation. UIU would continue promoting research, innovation and technology-driven education while creating opportunities for students to showcase their skills internationally, he added.
Dr Riasat Azim, mentor of UART and associate professor in UIU’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering, said the team’s fourth-place finish was the result of the dedication, technical expertise, creativity and teamwork of its students, faculty members and mentors.
He said participation in the international competition gave UIU students hands-on experience in solving real-world problems, demonstrating leadership and applying advanced technologies in challenging environments.
He also thanked the university authorities for their support and cooperation in enabling the team to participate in the competition.
The achievement adds to UIU’s record in international robotics and technology competitions, the university said.
Faculty members, students, UART team members, senior university officials and other guests attended the reception.