West Vancouver student's rocket drones to compete for Canada at international science fair
As a child, Jason Zhao dreamed of being an astronaut.
He had been fascinated with all things space and would fritter away hours poring over footage of rocket launches on Youtube. Still, never did he imagine he would one day be taking his own rocket to the skies, nevermind presenting it at a prestigious, international science competition, at the mere age of 16.
Come May, the Collingwood School student will be one of eight Canadian finalists to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, the world's largest pre-college STEM competition.
Zhao will present his three-metre tall rapid response rocket to the judges. Designed to help fight forest fires, the rocket contains a drone that separates and surveys the forest once launched into the air.
“The goal is basically to give firefighters a much quicker and much easier way to monitor wildfires as soon as they arrive, so that they can act quickly and minimize any damage,” he said.
With the drone equipped with all the instruments a helicopter would use, like infrared and thermal imaging cameras, it makes for a cheaper and far safer alternative than deploying humans, Zhao said. It also makes for a far more time efficient option, cutting out the minutes spent gathering supplies, boarding the helicopter and flying to the affected part of the forest.
“With a rocket, you can launch it from any open field. It's really fast. It's supersonic,” he said.
Crafting the innovative design had taken Zhao the better part of a year. The process involved much trial and error, with the young engineer experimenting with various 3D printing techniques and materials to manufacture a rocket that would withstand takeoff while still remaining cost efficient.
“I had to do a lot of research to make sure that the 3D printed plastic was strong enough. I carried out a bunch of simulations, screen tests and aerodynamic simulations, and flew the rocket to Washington, Oregon and Seattle to test it,” he said.
Zhao has been building rockets ever since he was young, a passion fuelled by rocket launch videos and a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida as a child, but never has he crafted something on this scale, he added.
“This is my peak rocket project, and it's the combination of all of my previous learning and everything I've known before,” said Zhao, adding how this was also his first ever attempt at making a drone.
“It's my most advanced project ever. So it would really mean a lot to me if I could win this, it would really help me feel proud of the past couple years of my work,” he said.
Zhao will be among 1,600 students from 80 countries competing for various wins, with $9 million in awards, prizes, and scholarships up for grabs.
Should his project win, Zhao said he hopes he can use the winnings to build a fleet of rocket drones, working alongside local fire services to fight against the province's increasingly brutal wildfire seasons.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News' Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.