Judging, Finalists & Winners

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges consisting of industry experts, analysts and members of the media. The judges will be appointed by AUVSI, in consultation with others as deemed appropriate.
- This year we have judges from the following outlets:
  - AECOM
  - Arizona State University
  - ASTM International
  - Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs
  - DroneTalks
  - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  - FIXAR
  - Grant Guillot, LLC
  - Just Innovation
  - Murzilli Consulting
  - NUAIR
  - NWC
  - P3 Tech Consulting
  - Robotic Research | RR.AI
  - The MITRE Corporation
  - University of Hawaii at Manoa
  - University of Maryland, Clark School of Engineering at USMSM
  - University of Rhode Island Ocean Engineering
  - USNI
  - Velodyne Lidar
  - Zipline
Judging is scheduled to begin in late-February and be completed by late-March.
The panel of judges will evaluate and score your solution based solely on your online entry.
Categories will be evaluated based on unique criteria. Please visit the following pages for details:

Up to five top entries in each category will be named finalists in that category.

Finalists will be notified and announced prior to AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2022. All finalists will not be winners.

Finalists with the highest qualifying scores will be the winners of that category.

Winners for all categories will be selected prior to AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2022 and will be announced during the event.

Winners will be announced on two separate occasions, see Awards Ceremonies for more details closer to event.

First, second and third place winners will receive a prestigious trophy as well as an electronic promotional toolkit containing a press release template, photos and electronic file of the “XCELLENCE Award Winner” logo which may be used in collateral materials, website, emails etc. to promote your winning status.

First Place winners will be invited on stage during each ceremony to accept their award and for a photo opportunity.

Subject to sponsorships received, up to three highest-scoring entries for the Humanitarian and Public Safety Awards will win a cash donation. This cash donation will be given to each winner, or to a charitable organization designated by the winner (subject to approval of the organization by AUVSI).

All winners will be announced through social media and through a press release that will be issued the day of the awards ceremony.