Bangladesh Flying Labs is Bringing Robotics to a New Generation

In Bangladesh, a team of local experts focused on popularizing drones and robotics among the country’s youth, and solving local problems has officially launched Bangladesh Flying Labs. Bangladesh Flying Labs is a social hub that connects technology enthusiasts interested in using their talents to advance social justice, equality, and development. It also bridges the gap between the local and international communities, enabling collaboration between other Flying Labs and drone-based research work to find solutions to local problems that affect people, healthcare, agriculture, and the environment.

To increase the impact of drone technologies in agriculture, emergency response, rescue, and relief distribution, Bangladesh Flying Labs will introduce drones and its control mechanism to local farmers, disaster management personnel, and students through practical field training.

Bangladesh Flying Labs will also introduce the country’s youth to robotics, drone, AI, and machine learning through hands-on training on drone hardware, advanced drone operations, and software simulation training for various drone platforms. The team will provide all necessary technical support and guidance for their communities and local students on multiple platforms to ensure impactful results. 

In the last few years, the team behind Bangladesh Flying Labs has already carried out many successful projects, including: 

• Bangladesh Robot Olympiad: The team has organized the Bangladesh Robot Olympiad since 2018 and won a gold medal in the International Robot Olympiad in 2018. In 2019, Bangladesh won a gold, two silver, and six bronze medals in Thailand’s 21st IRO. 
• School of Robotics: These events are designed for school-aged children to build their first robot. Many students of this event participated in Bangladesh Robot Olympiad later on, and one was selected for International Robot Olympiad 2019, where she earned a gold medal.
• Obak Kutuhole—An Innovative Approach for Rural Girls: This two-day long program in 2019 promoted rural girls’ engagement in STEM. Seventy-three girls from two rural schools came to the capital city Dhaka for two days. The students visited IT companies where many employees are female and toured the University of Dhaka.
• Ada Lovelace Celebration: A celebration of women and girls in Bangladesh, the Ada Lovelace Celebration provides a platform for them to study IT-related subjects and get involved in the IT industry. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to network with their peers, receive mentorship, and to support one another in their career paths.
• Girls Innovation and Entrepreneurship Boot Camp (GIEBC): GIEBC was a unique opportunity for Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs to bring their startup ideas to life. For three days in November 2019, 50 girls from different parts of the country came together to learn the basics of launching a business, understand the startup ecosystem, and develop their ideas. 

In the months ahead, Bangladesh Flying Labs will expand on these projects in their mission to use robotics for the betterment of society. Please join us in welcoming Bangladesh Flying Labs to the Global Flying Labs network!