Vefa Unmanned Systems Team (VİST)

Vefa Unmanned Systems Team (VIST) is a student technology team established in 2018 within Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ). The team focuses on unmanned systems, particularly in rocket technology and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Its founding purpose is to provide university students with hands-on experience in multidisciplinary engineering projects and to cultivate qualified human resources in defense, aerospace, and space technologies. The team derives its name from the Vefa neighborhood, where its first workshop was located.

The team is referred to by various names in different contexts. Its official name is "Vefa Unmanned Systems Team", and it is commonly abbreviated as "VIST". Additionally, depending on its areas of activity, it is also known as "İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team" or "Vefa Aerospace". These names reflect the team’s work on diverse projects such as rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Its rocket engineering activities are conducted under the name "Vefa Rocket Team".

Shortly after its establishment in 2018, VIST achieved success by winning first place in Turkey’s first Swarm Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Competition held that same year. In subsequent years, the team rapidly expanded both its technical infrastructure and membership. By 2020, the team included students from various universities (İTÜ, Yıldız Technical, Boğaziçi, Uludağ, etc.), with workshops operating in Istanbul and Bursa. In 2021, VIST participated in TEKNOFEST with an autonomous fire-extinguishing UAV project and successfully completed its assigned mission.

In 2024, a landmark moment occurred in VIST’s history: the team won first place in the 10,000 feet category at the Spaceport America Cup 2024 held in New Mexico, United States. A total of 152 teams from 20 countries participated in the competition, and VIST secured first place through the best rocket design and flight performance in its category.

VIST is composed of sub-teams, each specializing in distinct technical areas. The team operates through voluntary participation by students of Istanbul Technical University and is generally managed by a team captain and technical leads, with an overarching management group ensuring coordination among sub-teams.

Team advisory is typically provided by İTÜ faculty members. As of 2024, the team’s activities are supported by the advisory role of İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu.

VIST’s projects focus primarily on two key technical domains under the umbrella of unmanned systems: rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These projects are designed from scratch, with team members developing mechanical systems, electronic systems (avionics), software, power, and propulsion systems.

Within VIST, various sub-teams operate, each specializing in different technical fields:

• Vefa Rocket Team: Focuses on rocket engineering, solid-fuel motors, avionics systems, and aerodynamic structures. It developed the rocket that won first place at the Spaceport America Cup in the United States.
• Vefa Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team (UAV): Develops autonomous aerial vehicles for missions such as surveillance, search and rescue, and fire suppression. It successfully completed the fire-suppression mission at TEKNOFEST 2021.
• Vefa Avionics and Software Team: Develops flight control software, sensor data processing systems, and ground control software for UAV and rocket projects.
• Vefa Mechanical and Production Team: Handles mechanical design (CAD), manufacturing, assembly, and structural analysis of systems.

Among the competitions VIST has participated in and the awards it has won, the following stand out:

• 2018 – Swarm UAV Competition: VIST won first place in Turkey’s first-ever Swarm UAV Competition, held from 20–23 September 2018 at Istanbul New Airport. The team successfully coordinated multiple UAVs to complete assigned tasks.
• 2021 – TEKNOFEST Fire-Extinguishing UAV Mission Competition: The system developed for TEKNOFEST successfully dropped a fire suppressant onto a structure 30 meters high. VIST completed all assigned tasks in the fire-suppression-themed mission at TEKNOFEST 2021, aiming to advance the development of autonomous fire-suppression systems.
• 2024 – Spaceport America Cup (USA): The rocket system developed by the Vefa Rocket Team achieved first place at the Spaceport America Cup 2024 by successfully reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet. The competition involved 152 teams from 20 countries. VIST secured first place in this category based on rocket design, manufacturing, and flight performance.

VIST is open not only to İTÜ students but also to students from other universities. As of 2020, the team included over 20 members. Members are selected from various disciplines including mechanical, aeronautical, electrical-electronics, computer, and mechatronics engineering.

Joining the team occurs through applications announced publicly. Members take on roles in areas such as software development, electronic design, manufacturing, and mechanical assembly. Projects are carried out in an interdisciplinary collaborative environment.

İTÜ Vefa Rocket Team won first place in the 10,000 feet category at the Spaceport America Cup rocket engineering competition held in the United States in 2024. The competition involved 152 teams from 20 countries.

^{İTÜ Vefa Rocket Team commemorative patch from Spaceport America Cup 2024 (}vefa_havacilik⁾

The competition was held in June 2024 in New Mexico. The İTÜ Vefa Rocket Team designed and successfully launched a rocket capable of reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet. The rocket carried an onboard drone with foldable wings, which separated from the rocket at the designated altitude to collect atmospheric data. This project aimed to simulate the processes of deploying satellites or space tourism vehicles to specific atmospheric levels and releasing useful payloads.

Competition Process:

Spaceport America Cup is one of the largest international rocket engineering competitions at the university level, held annually in New Mexico, United States. The event is organized by the non-profit organization Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA). The technical component of the competition is known as the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC).

IREC is a competitive engineering challenge in which university students aim to reach specific altitude targets using rockets they design and build. Initiated in 2006, the competition was expanded into an international format under the umbrella of the “Spaceport America Cup” starting in 2017. In this context, ESRA is the organizing body, while IREC is the name of the technical competition held under its auspices. Each year, participating teams design their rockets according to specified technical criteria and carry out launch and recovery operations.

The Vefa Aerospace Team, operating under Istanbul Technical University, has participated in the Spaceport America Cup competitions organized by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA) in 2023 and 2024. These competitions, which attract university teams from around the world, feature the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) as its technical core, held annually in New Mexico, United States, requiring participants to design and test rocket systems to meet specific altitude targets.

In the 15th Spaceport America Cup held in 2023, the İTÜ Vefa Team participated in IREC. Only one team per university was accepted, and a total of 119 teams from 20 countries reached the finals. The İTÜ Vefa team successfully completed a full launch and recovery operation using a rocket developed with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components in the 10,000 feet altitude category. This technical success positively impacted the team’s overall evaluation score, placing İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team in 4th place overall. Simultaneously, it was the highest-scoring and most successful Turkish team among the nine university teams from Türkiye that reached the finals.

^{American Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (Experimental Sounding Rocket Association), Spaceport America Competition, 2023 (}Ali Rıza Eke⁾

IREC (Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition) is a practical, technically based competition that evaluates rocket systems developed by university students according to engineering, design, and flight performance criteria. Organized annually in New Mexico, United States, by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), the competition has been conducted under the broader umbrella of the Spaceport America Cup since 2017. The competition tasks student teams with designing, building, launching, and safely recovering rockets to meet specific altitude targets (e.g., 10,000 feet or 30,000 feet). Participating teams are evaluated across multiple technical dimensions, including design reports, system integration, flight safety, and recovery success rates.

^{American Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (Experimental Sounding Rocket Association), Spaceport America Competition 2023 (}Ali Rıza Eke⁾

The Vefa Aerospace Team, operating under Istanbul Technical University, participated in IREC in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, it competed in the 10,000 feet altitude category using a rocket system developed with commercial components and successfully completed all flight and recovery missions. That year, it was the highest-scoring team among the Turkish finalists.

In 2024, the team won first place in the same category, elevating its technical achievement to a higher international level. Through participation in IREC, the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team has produced system-level engineering applications and represented Türkiye through interdisciplinary student collaboration.

The İTÜ Vefa Rocket Team was established in 2018 and has since participated in various national and international competitions. The team consists of İTÜ students and is advised by İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu.

At the award ceremony following the competition, members of the İTÜ Vefa Rocket Team jointly unfurled the flags of Türkiye and Palestine on stage. This gesture was met with applause from the approximately 700 attendees. The team secured first place, surpassing universities such as Princeton, Stanford, and George Washington.

^{İTÜ Vefa Team receiving first-place award in the United States (}ITU⁾

^{İTÜ Vefa Team receiving first-place award in the United States (}ITU⁾

Following its first-place win in the 10,000 feet category at the 2024 Spaceport America Cup rocket engineering competition in New Mexico, United States, the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team held several meetings with institutions and individuals. These meetings are significant for recognizing and supporting the team’s achievement.

On 2 July 2024, TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş received the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team. Kurtulmuş expressed his satisfaction and pride in the team’s achievement and congratulated the students and faculty. The meeting was attended by team members and İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu. Kurtulmuş emphasized the importance of supporting young people’s work in technology.

^{TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş and İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team (}AA⁾

List of individuals present during the meeting of TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş with the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team on 2 July 2024:

1. Nurettin Alan: Member of Parliament for Istanbul, AK Party, and Member of the TBMM Justice Commission.

2. Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu: Rector of Istanbul Technical University.

3. Prof. Dr. Erol Kam: Faculty Member, Environmental Engineering Department, İTÜ.

4. Nurullah Bedir: Mechanical Team Lead and Team Captain, Vefa Aerospace Team; Student, Aeronautical Engineering Department, İTÜ.

5. Muhammed Kam: Avionics Lead, Vefa Aerospace Team; Student, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, İTÜ.

6. Ömer Faruk Sarıgöz: Founding Leader, Vefa Aerospace Team; Graduate, Mechanical Engineering Department, İTÜ.

7. Ali Rıza Eke: Pilot, Avionics Lead, and Team Captain, İTÜ University Project Team 2021–2023; Student, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, İTÜ.

8. Abdullah Talha Kiraz: Mechanical Design Engineer, Vefa Aerospace Team; Student, Mechanical Engineering Department, İTÜ.

9. Fatih Maden: Vefader Ankara Representative.

This meeting took place following the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team’s first-place achievement at the 2024 Spaceport America Cup in the United States.

On 23 July 2024, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the Dissemination of Science, met with members of the İTÜ Vefa Aerospace Team at the foundation’s headquarters in Süleymaniye. During the meeting, discussions were held regarding the team’s achievements and future goals. Bilal Erdoğan congratulated the team on its success and emphasized the importance of supporting students in such extracurricular endeavors.

^{Bilal Erdoğan, Foundation for the Dissemination of Science (}AA⁾

İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu serves as the team’s advisor and supports its achievements. Following the team’s world championship win, İTÜ Deputy Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Deniz welcomed the team at Istanbul Airport and congratulated them on their success.

^{Vefa Unmanned Systems Rocket Team (VİST) Welcome at Istanbul Airport (}İTÜ⁾

^{İTÜ Vefa Team Welcome at Istanbul Airport (}İTÜ⁾

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır congratulated the İTÜ Vefa Team on social media for its achievement. Additionally, the President of the Presidency of Defense Industries Haluk Görgün and the Chairman of the Board of Baykar Selçuk Bayraktar also celebrated the team’s success and highlighted the importance of young people’s achievements in technology. Rockets developed by the Vefa Rocket Team were exhibited at TEKNOFEST.

^{Vefa Rocket Team: Exhibition of World Champion Rockets at TEKNOFEST Rocket Competition (}Ali Rıza Eke⁾

^{Vefa Rocket Team and Selçuk Bayraktar: Exhibition of World Champion Rockets at TEKNOFEST Rocket Competition (}Ali Rıza Eke⁾