Yorktown HS Aeronautics Club Flies High, Grabs National Championship

YORKTOWN, NY — "High-fives" all around — the Yorktown High School Aeronautics Club has won the national championship just two years after its founding.

Known as the "Corntographers," the club competed against other teen drone teams this year at the UAS4STEM competition in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Following a preliminary round in the spring, the Corntographers were one of just five teams to qualify for the finals in the beginner division.

This year marked the club’s second consecutive appearance at the event. The national competition takes place during AirVenture, a celebration of aviation that attracts more than a half-million visitors to Oshkosh every year.

The Yorktown High School Aeronautics Club was founded by student Sharik Bose in 2023.

"Placing first among extremely skilled and capable teams at the national level is a dream come true," Bose, now a rising senior, said of the accomplishment.

The club's success is being attributed not only to their technical knowhow, but also their dedication to safety and preparedness. Their autonomous flight missions require programming skills, understanding GPS coordinates, and quick decision-making. The team refined its strategies throughout the practice sessions and prepared its drone to withstand various weather conditions.

"As an Eagle Scout, the 'Be Prepared' motto helped me run through the various scenarios in my mind and formulate a series of solutions with the team," Bose said.

Bose added that he is grateful for the support of the Yorktown Central School District, which has embraced the idea of an Aeronautics Club at Yorktown High School. Paul Rubeo, the club's advisor and a science research teacher, is credited with playing an instrumental role in guiding and mentoring the students.

The school launched a drone elective class in the 2023-24 school year. The course emphasizes flying regulations and hands-on piloting in order to prepare students for the FAA drone certification exam.

"The school district welcomed it as a unique concept in the region and in our state, and their support helped us a great deal," Bose said.

Looking ahead, the club aims to extend its impact beyond competitions. The Corntographers hope to live up to their team’s name, which is a play on the word cartography. The club also has community-oriented goals, such as partnering with local emergency responders on search and rescue efforts and offering workshops for younger students.