Meet Kanav Jain, the Scottish student who built a low-cost autonomous aircraft to deliver medicines to remote communities; it made him UK Young Engineer of the Year

Kanav Jain, a student from Broxburn, Scotland has been crowned UK Young Engineer of the Year for building a low-cost autonomous aircraft to deliver medicines to remote communities. His project titled ‘AeroAid: autonomous VTOL quadplane’ won at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition held at The Big Bang Fair.According to a report by Plant & Works Engineering, Jain was inspired to help people in rural and remote regions where the delivery of essential emergency supplies is challenging due to a lack of reliable road access. Using his passion for drones, he designed and developed a small, low-cost autonomous aircraft that can carry and deliver medicine and other essential supplies quickly and efficiently.He hopes that his invention will help provide critical humanitarian support and save millions of lives. “It’s so surreal! The moment they say your name you completely zone out…because of how much effort you put into it, and to see all of that come to life is really great!” he said upon winning.Jain entered the competition with support from Thales via a community group, First Step Robotics and is currently in S4. He designed a VTOL quadplane that combines helicopter hover capabilities with aeroplane cruise efficiency. They use two separate propulsion systems to switch between vertical lift and forward flight.The four vertical motors spin up to lift the aircraft straight up like a drone, without needing a runway. Once at a safe altitude, the forward flight motor turns on. As the aircraft gains forward speed, air flows over the fixed wings to create lift. The wings fully support the aircraft’s weight. The four vertical motors turn off to save battery power, allowing for high-speed, long-range travel. Near the target, the forward motor slows down. The four vertical motors restart to hover and guide the aircraft to a precise, vertical touchdown.They have better operational advantages than aircraft. They can land in thick forests, deep valleys or even damaged disaster zones. Their fixed wings use far less battery power than a standard multirotor drone. And, if the forward engine fails, the quad motors can safely guide the aircraft to the ground.

Kanav Jain: UK’s ‘drone boy’

Jain is known across the United Kingdom as the ‘drone boy’. He has previously led workshops teaching the youth about drones. In August 2025, he held a free, interactive workshop in Glasgow, organised by the British Youth International College (BYITC).“I started building drones when I was 10 just out of curiosity and that passion turned into a mission to use drones for good,” said Kanav, who gained his drone licence at 13 years of age and is known across the UK as ‘the drone boy’. “I’m excited to show others how fun and impactful drone technology can be.“Drones are incredibly practical. During the recent storms, I used mine to inspect the condition of our roof as well as to check those of our neighbours’. Careers like drone piloting, earth observation, and structural inspection really show their value – and experiences like this inspire me, especially as I hope to work in robotics or automation in the future,” he added. He was also crowned the winner of the academic category at the BYITC Inspire Awards 2025.James Mackay, Head of STEM, UK at Thales commented: “Congratulations to The Big Bang UK Young Engineer of the Year. We were delighted to see the creativity and impressive STEM skills from all the finalists. Kanav’s project really impressed the judges, along with his tenacity, dedication and drive. Supporting these future engineers is truly exciting for us at Thales. The Competition is a great reminder that the next big breakthrough could come from anyone. We need many more young people to pursue STEM careers. It’s been great to see so many students thinking about how they can innovate and create real-world solutions with engineering.”The Big Bang Competition, run by EngineeringUK, is a national competition for young engineers, scientists and technologists aged 11 to 18. There are a range of awards and prizes, recognising and rewarding talented STEM innovators. The top 3 winners each receive £1,000 prize money. Run by EngineeringUK, The Big Bang Fair is supported by organisations across the engineering and STEM sector including major supporter Rolls-Royce, easyJet, EDF Energy, Royal Aeronautical Society, The Wildlife Trust, University of Cambridge and V&A museum.