We’re a team of undergraduate students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign working at the intersection of aerospace engineering and agriculture. Our mission is to support local food security and sustainability efforts in Champaign County by applying our engineering knowledge to real-world farming challenges.

Why Drones?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, can gather high-quality aerial data faster and with less manual labor than ground-based methods. When processed through efficient workflows, this data becomes actionable information that helps farmers make faster decisions about planting, watering, spraying, and more.

What We Do

Student teams design and build agricultural drones using recycled or sustainable components to assist local farmers and researchers. Our process involves collaboration with the community:

• We partner with farmers and agricultural experts to understand their specific needs.
• We test our drones in real environments on farms and in fields, refining them through hands-on use.
• We provide flight reports and visual data to collaborators in return.

Where We’re Headed

Our long-term plans depend on continued collaboration, available funding, and technical progress. Here’s what we’re aiming for:

• Year 1: Aerial imaging and mapping.
• Next phases: First-person view, thermal imaging, and advanced spectral sensing with multispectral or hyperspectral cameras.
• Long-term: Explore drone-based spraying and manure distribution solutions.

How You Can Get Involved

If you’re a farmer, researcher, or community member interested in smart agriculture:

• You can volunteer land for testing.
• You can share feedback that shapes future drone models.
• You’ll receive customized drone reports and insights in return.

We welcome conversations with students, professors, companies, or farmers who are curious about how aerospace tools can improve agricultural practices!