The competition events began Wednesday with a tour of Patuxent River, and event indoctrination that evening. Thursday, students gave oral presentations with static displays to two teams of judges. Teams were also judged on technical papers submitted two weeks before the competition. They had an opportunity for practice flights at Webster Field, but not before passing a system safety inspection. The flight competition was expanded to two days this year, due to the increased interest and participation.

The student teams, judges, staff and sponsors were met with near perfect weather for this year's competition. The object for the flying portion of the competition was for an unmanned, radio controllable, aircraft to be launched and transition, or continue, to autonomous flight. It was then to navigate a specified course and use onboard payload sensors to locate and assess a series of man-made targets before returning to the launch point for landing. Each team was required to complete the task within 40 minutes.

The event concluded with an awards banquet Saturday evening in the JT Daugherty Center. Rear Adm. Tim Heely, Program Executive Officer for Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation, reminded the audience that Hurricane Katrina illustrated how useful UAVs can be, and that plans should be made to use them in such events. He told the students, "you are each contributing in your own way. These ideas you are having could take you forward...they are your great ideas, and we are all counting on you."

Industry sponsors and the Navy have been strong supporters in making the event successful. This competition allows both industry and government to talk to the next generation of unmanned systems designers and developers in an informal environment. It also allows the students, most of who have either graduated or are entering their senior year, to talk with industry and government employees about career options in the unmanned systems industry. Through the years, a number of students have become employed in the area, either with the Navy or one of the industry sponsors.

This year, the association awarded $29,500 in prize money. Prizes were awarded for various efforts to include the technical paper, oral brief, mission performance, and safety.

The overall winners were:

1st - University of Manitoba, Canada

2nd - Brigham Young University

3rd - University of Texas at Arlington

4th - Virginia Polytechnic

Eighteen colleges and universities from around the world participated this year, with 17 flyers.

They are:

- Brigham Young University

- Cornell University

- Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Autono)

- Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Hathor)

- Istanbul Technical University

- Massachusetts Institute of Technology

- Mississippi State University

- North Carolina State University

- Polytechnic University of NY

- University of California at San Diego

- University of Colorado

- University of Kentucky

- University of Manitoba, Canada

- University of Mississippi

- University of Texas at Arlington

- University of West Florida

- Virginia Commonwealth University

- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University