It is a ‘Game of Drones’ as students bag laurels abroad

Aero clubs from various colleges win prizes at competitions in the US

MUMBAI: For decades, aviation experts in India have rued India’s inability in producing planes and its makers. Even as the country continues to buy most of its aircraft from foreign aircraft makers, a small but promising culture emerging in city engineering colleges appears to be a ray of hope.

Fed by a rising wave of international aero design competitions, aspiring aeronautical engineers are forming ‘aero clubs’ to make their own flying machines.

Students of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga, established one such ‘aero club’ in 2010. The club, named Aero VJTI has so far sent four teams to the aero design competition held in the US and won some prizes, said students.

“Over the years, our club has become very good in aircraft designing. VJTI also has a windtunnel lab for those interested in research in the field of aeronautics,” said Darshit Dalal, a member of the club.

The Aero Design competition, held annually in the United States by the Society of Automotive Engineers, has found a number of takers among city’s engineering colleges. Students are tasked to make their own Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at the competition.

These clubs also help students apply their minds beyond the curriculum. “The problems presented to us in the aero design competition are very real. The UAVs and the aircraft technology has wide application in many fields,” said Akib Peerzade, a former member of ‘Team Aerosouls’ at the MH Saboo Siddik College of Engineering at Byculla.

According t o Peerzade, Aerosouls was the very first Indian team to compete and win in the advanced category at the competition.

Students added that juggling time for such activities along with their studies has been a challenge.

Funding is one of the biggest challenges, felt students. While many colleges and sponsors provide monetary assistance to the competing teams, the students often have to fund their trip to US.

“Initially, the funding was a problem. But as we progressed, the college realised the importance of our work and helped us generously. But once we won prizes at the competition and were featured in the newspapers, the funds started pouring in,” added Peerzade.

Source: The Hindustan Times dated 12/10/2015

3 tech-savvy kids campaign against the noise nuisance

Trio maps city decibel levels, prepares tables based on their findings

MUMBAI: When 11- year- old Sahil Parab stepped out with his parents on the last day of Ganeshotsav celebrations to witness various processions heading towards immersion sites, he could not stand the noise.

He asked his father for his smartphone, opened a noisemeasuring app and found that the decibel levels were touching 100dB. “The loudspeakers and DJ’s sets sent vibrations through my body, while drunk people were dancing all around me. It felt like I was partially deaf,” said Parab adding, “I showed my parents the readings and persuaded them to head home.”

The growing noise levels had been a concern playing on his mind even before the Ganeshotsav began. To bring forth the need to turn down the volume, Parab, along with two 12 year olds – Harsh Mhadadlkar and Anirudh Chowdhury – recorded noise levels of 12 locations during Dahi Handi and 10 locations during Ganeshotsav.

The children – all residents of BDD chawl in Lower Parel – took up the task as part of a research project guided by Reniscience Education, an organisation that works with children outside the classroom.

“These children prepared tables and recorded noise levels during the morning, evening and night. We were surprised with their findings,” said Sangita Kapadia, their teacher from Reniscience Education.

The trio also met Sumaira Abdulali, convener, NGO Awaaz Foundation, to learn how to use noise meters. “We put together a set of questions for Sumaira ma’am and wanted to know how noise meters are used. We also asked her about how the city has been divided into silence and residential zones and how complaints can be filed at police stations,” said Mhadadlkar.

Implementing the format they read in newspapers, the trio took down readings in their notebooks and compared them to what was published over the 10 days of the festival. “We downloaded a decibel meter application on our teacher’s phone and found that noise from dhols, DJ sets and loudspeakers measured high on the meter,” said Mhadadlkar.

Abdulali explained to them how noise complaints could also be filed online on various social media websites. “These children have the ability, interest and enthusiasm to do something even the police could not. They have set an example of how citizens can be proactive,” said Abdulali, adding, “I am very impressed with them and hope to mentor them in future.”

In the coming week, the boys will accompany volunteers from the NGO to take noise readings during the 10-day Navratri festival.

Source: The Hindustan Times dated 12/10/2015