News Summary
A team of mechanical engineering students from South Dakota State University has won NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies contest with their revolutionary STaPLE drone. This drone, designed for soil testing and plant leaf extraction, aims to enhance agricultural practices by the year 2035. The students collaborated with local farmers and agronomists to ensure the drone meets real-world agricultural challenges, paving the way for better crop management and optimization. Their success marks a significant achievement for SDSU in the field of engineering and agricultural technology.
Brookings, South Dakota – A team of mechanical engineering students from South Dakota State University (SDSU) has triumphed in NASA’s prestigious Gateways to Blue Skies contest by creating groundbreaking drone prototypes aimed at enhancing agricultural practices by the year 2035. This exceptional achievement represents the first time SDSU has clinched the overall winner title in a NASA competition.
The SDSU team, comprised of students Nick Wolles, Keegan Visher, Nathan Kuehl, and Laura Peterson, developed the STaPLE drone, an acronym for Soil Testing and Plant Leaf Extraction. This innovative drone features two specialized modules: one dedicated to soil sampling, while the other is designed for extracting plant leaves. These modules work together to provide vital data that can help farmers optimize their crop yields.
The soil sampling module autonomously flies to various locations within a field, analyzing nutrient profiles before and after the growing season. It allows for precise assessment of soil health, enabling farmers to make informed decisions regarding crop management. The plant tissue sampling module focuses on extracting the top leaf from corn plants, which can then be tested in laboratories to evaluate plant health and nutrient content.
Utilizing advanced GPS technology and artificial intelligence, the STaPLE drone is designed to perform its tasks with high accuracy and efficiency. The students dedicated their academic year to designing and testing the drone prototypes, ensuring they meet the challenges faced in modern agriculture.
In preparation for the contest, the SDSU team collaborated with approximately 25 farmers and agronomists to identify key challenges in soil and tissue sampling. This engagement was pivotal, as it shaped the development of their drone to better serve the needs of real-world agricultural stakeholders. Their commitment to understanding the customer base was a significant focus during the competition, underscoring the importance of practical solutions in technological innovations.
The team’s efforts not only resulted in a successful prototype but also the distinction of being the only participants to present a functional drone at the competition. Their victory has earned them an $8,000 grant to assist with travel expenses to the contest finals, held at Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California.
The students were also presented with internship opportunities at NASA, a prospect they are thoughtfully considering due to existing commitments with summer jobs. The STaPLE drone’s soil sampling module is projected to enter beta testing by 2026, with commercialization expected by 2027. Meanwhile, the leaf tissue sampling module is slated for testing in 2025 and 2026, with plans for commercial availability by 2029.
SDSU’s engineering department has been successfully participating in various NASA challenges, including the Break the Ice lunar excavation challenge and the RASC-AL contest, demonstrating a consistent trend of innovation and improvement in their engineering programs. The success in these competitions reflects a strong investment in STEM education and research at SDSU, enhancing the prospects for future engineering talent.
This victory at the Gateways to Blue Skies contest not only highlights the technical expertise and creativity of the SDSU students but also serves as a stepping stone towards significant advancements in agricultural technology. As agriculture increasingly intersects with advancements in aviation and robotics, the STaPLE drone exemplifies the type of innovative thinking that could play a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by farmers in the years to come.
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- KELOLAND News
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- Encyclopedia Britannica: Nebraska State University
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- Google News: South Dakota State University engineering
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