Seven schools, 80 students, home-made flying robots, one lost hiker and a chocolate bar - it's the recipe for an exciting unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission.
Keen high school students from Queensland, the ACT and California are ready to drop Outback Joe some much needed supplies. (See below for a full list of schools.)
They have built their UAVs from scratch, designing and developing the software and hardware needed to deliver the hungry hiker a chocolate bar.
And like an ultra-high-tech marbles game, the team that remotely flies to Outback Joe and airdrops the emergency rations closest to him wins $5,000.
The student Airborne Delivery Challenge is part of the 2014 UAV Challenge - Outback Rescue at Kingaroy Airport, which is organised by QUT, ARCAA and CSIRO.
"UAVs are the future of search and rescue technology out in the real world, and these kids will be the people designing, building and maintaining these advanced systems," competition coordinator Professor Jonathan Roberts said.
"This competition is invaluable because it gives the students first-hand experience in the practical applications of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) knowledge they're building inside the classroom.
"They're excited to participate, engaged about learning STEM, and enthusiastic about their career possibilities - you can't ask for a better start to your working life."
For extra credit, teams can use their UAV to spot a number of symbols Outback Joe has left on the ground around him.
The UAV Challenge has been running since 2007 and many participating school are repeat contenders.
All student eyes will be on Calamvale Community College, which won the 2013 competition.
"It's fantastic to see the schools return year after year, sometimes with the same students and sometimes bringing the next batch of roboticists," Professor Roberts said.
"This year, past Airborne Delivery Challenge students from Mueller College in the Redcliffe area have returned with teachers and some parents to contest the more sophisticated search-and-rescue competition within the UAV Challenge."
That search-and-rescue mission will see 19 teams from around the globe search for Outback Joe in a rural setting and, if found, deliver him a heavier emergency package. The winner takes home a $50,000 grand prize.
"No team has yet met that challenge but we're pretty confident this will be the year someone does," Professor Roberts said.
The UAV Challenge runs 22-26 September, with the student Airborne Delivery Challenge taking place Tuesday 23 September.
The 2014 UAV Challenge is sponsored by Insitu, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, CASA, Mathworks, Stanwell and DSTO. It is also supported by the Queensland Government, UAS Pacific, Rayhteon Australia and The Australian Association for Unmanned Systems.
Track the teams' progress live on the UAV Challenge Live Facebook page. A separate UAV Challenge Facebook page will provide daily summaries of activity.
Watch a documentary about the 2013 UAV Challenge.
Airborne Delivery Challenge Teams:
Aviation High, Hendra (QLD)
•The Descendants
•Raven UAV
•Jolly Wrenches
Calamvale Community College, Calamvale (QLD)
•Calamvale Martins
•Calamvale Euros
Dickson College, Dickson, (ACT)
•Dickson College
Ferny Grove (QLD)
•BrisbaneUAV (a team independent from the schools they students attend. Students have worked on their UAVs outside of school hours)
Indooroopilly State High School, Indooroopilly (QLD)
•Indooroopilly UAV
Mueller College, Rothwell (QLD)
•MUROC Hexfactor
•MUROC DareDivas
•MUROC Stikmen
•MUROC The Three Amigos
•MUROC The Holming Pigeons
Pete Knight High School (California)
•Spirit of Niles I
•Spirit of Niles II
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Media contact:
Kate Haggman, QUT Media, 07 3138 0358, kate.haggman@qut.edu.au.
After hours Rose Trapnell, QUT Media team leader, 0407 585 901.
