The "GBA Smart Transportation Inter-school Challenge" for primary and secondary schools, organized by the Bay Area Hong Kong Centre, successfully concluded in Hong Kong last Saturday (April 12). The competition encouraged students to apply programming skills and problem-solving abilities using drones and unmanned vehicles to complete wilderness search-and-rescue missions.
Over 120 teams participated, comprising middle school (Grades 7-9) and upper primary (Grades 4-6) students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong Province, with more than 400 teachers and students in attendance.
Leadership Perspectives
At the awards ceremony, Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Bay Area Hong Kong Centre, remarked: "China's DeepSeek has emerged at low cost, demonstrating the rapid development of AI. But we must remember that tools will never replace human curiosity or the courage of youth to break conventions." He encouraged participants, stating, "The programming logic, teamwork, and problem-solving skills you've honed today are precisely what will enable you to dance with AI in the future."
Assistant Divisional Officer (Operational Development) Law Man-kit from the Hong Kong Fire Services Department noted that the competition mirrored actual rescue operations, expressing delight at students' innovative approaches. He hoped the event would raise awareness of rescue techniques while equipping youth with technological competencies for Hong Kong's development.
Future Initiatives
The Centre will soon launch more case competitions for senior secondary and tertiary students, allowing participants to either design commercial applications through business planning/financial analysis or engineer improved aerial vehicles for diverse scenarios.
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