EagleBank Arena

Autonomous blimps take flight at EagleBank Arena: 2nd annual Airborne Robotics Cup inspires future STEM innovators

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:04:00 +0000

Autonomous blimps take flight at EagleBank Arena: 2nd annual Airborne Robotics Cup inspires future STEM innovators Nathan Kahl Tue, 09/08/2026 - 15:04

In This Story

The floor of EagleBank Arena buzzed with high-tech aerial excitement on August 15 as 91�� hosted the culmination of the second annual Airborne Robotics Cup (ARC 2026). The STEM outreach competition ran an intense 12-hour tournament featuring dynamic, lighter-than-air autonomous blimp “soccer” matches.

Lighter-than-air vehicles prepare for battle. Photo credit Yidi Huang.

ARC was founded and organized by Ningshi Yao, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and director of the Control, Intelligent Autonomy, and Optimization (CIAO) Lab. It was co-organized by the Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC).

The initiative serves as a core component of Yao’s National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. As part of the award’s integrated education plan, it translates university research in robotics, control theory, and autonomous systems into transformative hands-on learning for K-12 students, with vital venue, equipment, and organizational backing from the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC).

The tournament received enthusiastic support and on-site participation from CEC leadership and its academic departments. Ariela Sofer, divisional dean of the Volgenau School of Engineering, kicked off the morning session by encouraging students to pursue curiosity and explore the expansive possibilities within engineering. During the evening awards ceremony, Amarda Shehu, associate dean for research, celebrated the students’ accomplishments and underscored the transformative impact of early engagement with robotics and artificial intelligence, alongside Alex Sprintson, ECE chair, who recognized the exceptional ingenuity and technical rigor demonstrated by the competitors.

Alex Sprintson, ECE department Chair; Ariela Sofer, divisional dean of the Volgenau School of Engineering; student Ningshi Yao; student Aaron Liu; and Capital Youth Outreach Club co-organizer Jun Zhao. Photo credit John Liu.

Adding to the strong departmental support, Pelin Kurtay, ECE associate chair, attended to engage with participants and cheer on the young roboticists. Leigh McCue, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, joined the morning awards session to deliver encouraging remarks on multidisciplinary engineering and present awards to the winning teams across the morning’s two competition groups.

Building on last year's debut success, ARC expanded exponentially in 2026. The program received more than 180 applications, and through a highly competitive selection process, 16 talented finalist teams comprising more than 80 middle and high school students earned spots in the tournament.

Rather than a standalone one-day competition, ARC represents a comprehensive two-month summer engineering program. Over the past seven weeks, students dedicated their weekends to four intensive in-person training sessions and four hands-on practice sessions at MARC. Led by Yao, alongside ECE PhD student Ahnaf Asif Khan, graduate student Yojan Gautam, and former George Mason Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program participants Adam Bhatti and Harry Yu, the mentorship team taught students foundational mechatronics skills from the ground up, including soldering, assembling basic blimp kits, embedded programming, and custom 3D printing.

Student leadership and authentic engineering problem-solving took center stage throughout ARC2026. Reflecting on the engineering hurdles of lighter-than-air robotics, Lucas Liu, a junior from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and captain of Team 14, noted, "Working with blimps taught our team very quickly that every single gram matters. Through constant iteration, we redesigned parts and switched to lighter microcontrollers, bringing the total weight down to 70% of the original."

Aaron Liu, captain of Team 12 and representing his team from Luther Jackson Middle School, echoed the value of hands-on troubleshooting, "Building and flying a robot is a lot more complicated than watching one fly. Engineering problems don’t always happen when it's convenient, and solutions don't come linearly. You just have to keep going one step at a time," said Aaron.

Reflecting on the broader impact and purpose of the initiative, Yao emphasized the long-term growth of the participants. "ARC is far more than just a competition," said Yao. "It is a launchpad for lifelong skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Today is a celebration of taking ideas from concept to reality, embracing setbacks, and learning through hands-on trial and error."

Winning teams celebrate their achievements alongside faculty and mentors during the awards presentation. Photo credit Yidi Huang.

That transformative experience resonated strongly with families across the community. "Your continuous support, patience, guidance, and extra effort meant so much to them and to us as parents," shared Sisi Jou, parent of Team 15 competitor Skylon Jou. "Skylon already said he definitely wants to participate again next year and hopes to come back even stronger!"

Building on the tremendous energy and success of this second edition, the CIAO Lab and its partners are already preparing to expand ARC for summer 2027 by increasing team capacity, broadening community outreach, and continuing to cement George Mason as a premier hub for youth robotics innovation.

Topics

lighter-than-air robotics

Electrical and Computer Engineering

STEM outreach

EagleBank Arena

robotics

Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center

National Science Foundation

Students

Young engineers compete, building from the ground (and) up

Nathan Kahl — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:41:52 +0000

Young engineers compete, building from the ground (and) up Nathan Kahl Wed, 08/19/2026 - 13:41

Over the course of two Saturdays in August, 91�� electrical and computer engineering Assistant Professor Ningshi Yao tested the idea that competition yields strong results. She designed two very different engineering challenges for local pre-college students, one sending student-built ground vehicles racing across a soccer field and the other taking to the skies.

"We want to develop a course or training program that's more hands-on and learning through hands-on projects," Yao said.

“Whether it’s on the ground or in the air, engineering isn't just about formulas on paper—it's about learning through iteration, embracing setbacks, and building things that work in the real world," Yao said. "These programs give young minds early exposure to authentic engineering challenges, empowering them to discover their passions, build resilience, and see themselves as the next generation of roboticists and innovators.”

High school teams test autonomous blimp designs during hands-on practice sessions at MARC. Photo provided.

The first event, the NEXT Competition on August 7, capped a seven-week summer experience for 16 high school students participating in George Mason's Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP). The students helped Yao pilot a new mechatronics curriculum developed through a three-year, $750,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The curriculum uses a flipped-classroom model. Students learn concepts outside the lab through lectures and select online videos, then spend their time together applying those concepts. Lessons cover topics ranging from sensors and mechanical drive trains to projectile motion and radio communication. "The class time will be when they come into the lab and really build a ground vehicle," Yao said.

The culminating competition tests far more than whether the vehicles move. Teams face off for 90 minutes on a soccer field scattered with 200 tennis balls. Their robots must collect the balls and shoot them into designated buckets while also contending with opposing vehicles. Teams can even fire balls at competitors to temporarily knock them out of action. That forces students to consider offense, defense, communications, vehicle maintenance and strategy while responding to problems they couldn't predict beforehand.

"They need to quickly fix things," Yao said. "They also need to think about communication, because the range is easily more than 150 meters. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth may not be enough, so they need to learn radio communication."

The ASSIP students were more than participants. Because the ONR grant was awarded only in April, they served as the first test group for a curriculum ultimately intended to stand on its own.

"We're using the high school interns as a pilot to test this curriculum," Yao said. "Meanwhile, they can identify the research problems they want to work on."

Just one week later, Yao shifted from ground robots to flying ones. On Saturday, August 15, more than 100 students were at EagleBank Arena for the second annual Airborne Robotics Cup (ARCup), a competition Yao founded to engage middle and high school students in robotics and artificial intelligence.

Teams of students in grades 8 through 12 spent approximately two months designing, building, and programming lightweight robotic blimps before competing in a soccer-style game. The blimp platform introduces students to CAD, 3D printing, programming, aerodynamics, stability, buoyancy, and robotics while remaining safe enough to operate around competitors and spectators.

Reminiscent of the collegiate-level Defend the Republic competition, students use the lighter-than-air devices to play a game reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Quidditch. Students receive mentorship from members of Yao's robotics research team, and top performers may pursue research internships.

Yao's commitment to ARCup recently received another boost. Her new NSF CAREER Award includes support for continuing and expanding the competition as part of the educational component of her research.

In This Story

Ningshi Yao

Learn more about ASSIP

Topics

competitions

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

EagleBank Arena

Defense and Security

Students

Fairfax Campus Notice: Community college and high school graduation ceremonies at 91��

lclarkg — Fri, 01 May 2026 20:03:02 +0000

Fairfax Campus Notice: Community college and high school graduation ceremonies at 91�� lclarkg Fri, 05/01/2026 - 16:03

Heavy traffic is expected on and around 91��’s Fairfax Campus for regional community college and high school graduation ceremonies at EagleBank Arena from May 18 through June 17, 2026.

91�� Commencement and Degree Celebrations will take place on the Fairfax Campus from May 14–16. Get the details.

Northern Virginia Community College's Commencement will take place at EagleBank Arena on Monday, May 18, at 11 a.m.

High school graduation ceremonies start at EagleBank Arena on Thursday, May 28, and continue through Wednesday, June 17. EagleBank Arena will host up to three ceremonies each day, so traffic may be entering and exiting campus from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Please allow extra travel time on and around campus.

Monday, May 18

11 a.m. Northern Virginia Community College

Thursday, May 28

9 a.m. Osbourn High School, Manassas City Public Schools

Friday, May 29

9:30 a.m. Battlefield High School, Prince William County Public Schools
2 p.m. Gainesville High School, Prince William County Public Schools
7 p.m. Colgan High School, Prince William County Public Schools

Saturday, May 30

9:30 a.m. Patriot High School, Prince William County Public Schools
2 p.m. Forest Park High School, Prince William County Public Schools
7 p.m. Hylton High School, Prince William County Public Schools

Monday, June 1

9:30 a.m. Potomac High School, Prince William County Public Schools
2 p.m. Woodbridge High School, Prince William County Public Schools
7 p.m. Osbourn Park High School, Prince William County Public Schools

Tuesday, June 2

9:30 a.m. Gar-Field High School, Prince William County Public Schools
2 p.m. Freedom High School, Prince William County Public Schools
7 p.m. Unity Reed High School, Prince William County Public Schools

Wednesday, June 3

9 a.m. Falls Church High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. Oakton High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
7 p.m. Chantilly High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Thursday, June 4

9 a.m. Woodson High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. West Springfield High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
7 p.m. Hayfield High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Friday, June 5

9 a.m. South Lakes High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. South County High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
7 p.m. Edison High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Saturday, June 6

9 a.m. City of Alexandria High School, Alexandria City Public Schools
2 p.m. Academies of Loudoun, Loudoun County Public Schools
7 p.m. Thomas Jefferson High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Monday, June 8

9 a.m. West Potomac High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. Justice High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
7 p.m. Annandale High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Tuesday, June 9

9 a.m. Mt. Vernon High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. Lewis High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
7 p.m. Westfield High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Thursday, June 11

9 a.m. Centreville High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. Robinson High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Friday, June 12

9 a.m. Lake Braddock High School, Fairfax County Public Schools
2 p.m. Herndon High School, Fairfax County Public Schools

Saturday, June 13

9:30 a.m. Washington-Liberty High School, Arlington County Public Schools
2 p.m. Wakefield High School, Arlington County Public Schools

Monday, June 15

10 a.m. John Champe High School, Loudoun County Public Schools
2:30 p.m. Park View High School, Loudoun County Public Schools
7 p.m. Briar Woods High School, Loudoun County Public Schools

Tuesday, June 16

10 a.m. Broad Run High School, Loudoun County Public Schools
2:30 p.m. Freedom High School, Loudoun County Public Schools
7 p.m. Riverside High School, Loudoun County Public Schools

Wednesday, June 17

10 a.m. Potomac Falls High School, Loudoun County Public Schools
2:30 p.m. Heritage High School, Loudoun County Public Schools

Topics

Campus Notice

Fairfax Campus Notice

EagleBank Arena

Parking and Traffic Advisory

Faculty and Staff News

Fairfax Campus Notice: High School Graduations at EagleBank Arena

lclarkg — Fri, 03 May 2024 19:00:42 +0000

Fairfax Campus Notice: High School Graduations at EagleBank Arena lclarkg Fri, 05/03/2024 - 15:00

Heavy traffic is expected on and around 91��’s Fairfax Campus for regional high school graduation ceremonies at EagleBank Arena from May 29 through June 18, 2024.

EagleBank Arena will host up to three ceremonies on many days, so traffic will be entering and exiting campus from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Please allow extra travel time on and around campus.

George Mason faculty, staff, and students are advised to use the general permit area of the Rappahannock Parking Deck or the Field House parking lots to avoid delays. Shenandoah Parking Deck (levels 4 and 5) will be open for limited overflow student, employee, and event parking on weekdays when graduations occur.

Wednesday, May 29

9:30 a.m. Osbourn High School
2 p.m. Battlefield High School
7 p.m. Gainesville High School

Thursday, May 30

9:30 a.m. Woodbridge High School
2 p.m. Forest Park High School

Friday, May 31

9:30 a.m. Hylton High School
2 p.m. Potomac High School
7 p.m. Osbourn Park High School

Saturday, June 1

9 a.m. Alexandria High School
2 p.m. Gar-Field High School
7 p.m. Freedom (PW) High School

Monday, June 3

9:30 a.m. Annandale High School Graduation
2 p.m. Robinson Secondary School
7:30 p.m. Lewis High School

Tuesday, June 4

9:30 a.m. Mount Vernon High School
2 p.m. Lake Braddock Secondary School
7:30 p.m. Westfield High School

Wednesday, June 5

9:30 a.m. Centreville High School
2 p.m. Herndon High School
7:30 p.m. Edison High School

Thursday, June 6

9:30 a.m. West Springfield Secondary School
2 p.m. Woodson High School
7:30 p.m. Justice High School

Friday, June 7

9:30 a.m. Chantilly High School
2 p.m. Falls Church High School
7:30 p.m. South Lakes High School

Saturday, June 8

7:30 p.m. Thomas Jefferson High School

Monday, June 10

9:30 a.m. Hayfield High School
2 p.m. South County High School

Tuesday, June 11

9:30 a.m. Oakton High School
2 p.m. West Potomac High School

Saturday, June 15

10 a.m. Broad Run High School
2 p.m. Briar Woods High School
7 p.m. Freedom (LC) High School

Tuesday, June 18

10 a.m. John Champe High School
2 p.m. Potomac Falls High School
7 p.m. Park View High School

Topics

Fairfax Campus Notice

Campus Notice

Parking and Traffic Advisory

EagleBank Arena

Faculty and Staff News

91�� wins Defend the Republic

Rena Malai — Mon, 22 May 2023 19:07:41 +0000

91�� wins Defend the Republic Rena Malai Mon, 05/22/2023 - 15:07

In This Story

Cameron Nowzari

Ningshi Yao

Daigo Shishika

Patriot Pilots pose with their Lighter Than Air (LTA) creations. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Twice a year, university teams compete in the Lighter Than Air (LTA) Defend the Republic competition. In April, 91�� hosted the competition in EagleBank Arena and won. The winning Mason team, Patriot Pilots, led by principal investigators Cameron Nowzari, Ningshi Yao, and Daigo Shishika, all from the College of Engineering and Computing, competed against six universities and about 50 LTA robotic agents, aka blimps.

“Even after three years, I’m still in awe of what happens at this competition,” said Nowzari, who has led the competition for the past three years, will be moving on from the annual competition and leaving things in the hands of Yao and Shishika. “My hope is that this competition will continue, and more schools will get involved.”

The competition is a mix of technology and creativity, and something students seem to have a lot of fun with, according to Yao.

“The strength of our winning team was in the ability to think creatively through building and design,” said Yao.

Without the severity that can sometimes accompany other types of flying agents, blimps are a lighter, gentler kind of airborne machine that appeals to many people.

“Their soft body and low operational speed make them more tangible and accessible than drones or planes,” said Shishika. “At the same time, they bring unique and exciting research challenges that our students with diverse background tackle together.”

The team will schedule a kickoff meeting during the summer, to plan for the next competition in November. The team welcomes students from all majors.

“We’re always actively recruiting for the team,” Nowzari said. “All that you need to bring is your passion and creativity.”

For information on how to join, email dshishik@gmu.edu or nyao4@gmu.edu. People can also visit blimp-robotics.org to learn how to build their own LTA blimp and encourage younger students to do the same.