Sepura supports UQ's Formula SAE-A team

Radio systems provider Sepura was proud to support The University of Queensland (UQ) recently as part of the 2024 Formula SAE Australasia (Formula SAE-A) competition.

Formula SAE involves student teams designing a small Formula-style race car to be evaluated as a potential product for weekend autocross enthusiasts, with each team’s car judged on design, cost and performance. Competitions have been organised worldwide since 1980, with the Asia–Pacific version of the event held from 5–8 December 2024 at Melbourne’s Calder Park Raceway.

Sepura provided the UQ team with specialised motorsport communications equipment, which the students integrated into their car’s design and packaging. This meant the university had two-way communication from the vehicle to the team for the first time, enabling strategic planning and communication during the event.

Sepura provided its compact SC21 handheld device, which was installed in the car and connected to the driver’s helmet, complete with noise-cancelling helmet kits fitted by student engineers. Additionally, the Sepura SC20 device coupled with a specialised headset enabled clear communication between the driver and chief engineer during the competition. Sepura also supplied additional radios throughout the event, facilitating team coordination.

“We are thrilled to support the University of Queensland students by providing equipment to integrate into their car,” said Terence Ledger, Regional Director of APAC, Middle East and Africa for Sepura, in the lead-up to the competition. “It’s crucial to collaborate with students, offering them insights into the radio communications industry and embedding our products into advanced designs for effective communication.”

By engineering the integration of the TETRA radio and wiring harness into the vehicle, the students showcased their innovation, earning them points in the competition for creativity and implementation. TETRA technology is prominent in top-tier motorsports globally, so exposure to TETRA radios as part of the event proves invaluable for those students hoping to enter the industry.

In 2023, UQ secured a third-place finish against teams from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia and Taiwan. In 2024, the team placed first in both the Cost and Endurance categories for the Electric Vehicle class.