UAVs@Berkeley designs, builds, and flies drones across five teams: Mechanical, Electrical, Software, FPV Racing, and Videography. Members work on semester-long engineering projects, attend Fly Days and Build Days, and compete in the AUVSI SUAS national competition. The CALFPV team races high-powered quadcopters up to 100mph at collegiate events. No prior experience is required, just a passion for unmanned flight and the time to commit.
2015
Year founded (Fall semester)
60-80
Active members per semester (historical)
5-10
Engineering project team size (students)
1
Project length (semesters)
100
FPV drone top speed (mph)
Events They Host
AUVSI SUAS Competition
Annual national competition requiring autonomous flight, remote sensing, and payload delivery. The club has competed multiple years including 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Collegiate Drone Racing National Championship
The CALFPV team competes on a national level and travels to Purdue University for this annual event.
Open Sauce 2024
Showcased the 2024 AUVSI SUAS competition drone at this maker showcase event, June 15-16, 2024.
Milestone Events
Held throughout each semester for engineering project teams to share progress and run demos of their new technology.
Member Experiences
Fly Days
Members learn to fly drones using club hardware with guidance from experienced members, at approved on-campus sites.
Build Days
Members assemble a flying machine in a matter of hours with guidance from the club.
Videography Team Bay Area Trips
The Video/Photo team takes trips to destinations and events throughout the Bay Area to capture aerial landscapes and footage.