A workforce from South Dakota State College, with their challenge titled “Soil Testing and Plant Leaf Extraction Drone” took first place on the 2025 NASA Gateways to Blue Skies Competitors, which challenged pupil groups to analysis aviation options to assist U.S. agriculture.
The successful challenge proposed a drone-based soil and tissue sampling course of that may automate a sometimes labor-intensive farming activity. The South Dakota State workforce competed amongst eight finalists on the 2025 Blue Skies Discussion board Might 20-21 in Palmdale, California, close to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Analysis Heart. Subject material specialists from NASA and trade served as judges.
“This competitors challenges college students to suppose creatively, discover new prospects, and confront the rising points and alternative areas solvable by way of aviation platforms,” stated Steven Holz, assistant challenge supervisor for College Innovation with NASA’s Aeronautics Analysis Mission Directorate and Blue Skies choose and co-chair. “They bring about imaginative concepts, attention-grabbing insights, and a powerful stage of dedication. It’s at all times an honor to work with the following era of innovators collaborating in our competitors.”
Steven holz
Assistant Mission Supervisor for College Innovation
The successful workforce members have been awarded a chance to intern through the 2025-26 tutorial 12 months at any of 4 aeronautics-focused NASA facilities — Langley Analysis Heart in Hampton, Virginia, Glenn Analysis Heart in Cleveland, Ames Analysis Heart in California’s Silicon Valley, or Armstrong Flight Analysis Heart in Edwards, California.
“It’s been super-rewarding for our workforce to see how far we’ve come, particularly with all these different superb initiatives that we have been competing in opposition to,” stated Nathan Kuehl, workforce lead at South Dakota State College. “It wouldn’t have been potential with out our graduate advisor, Allea Klauenberg, and advisor, Todd Lechter. We wish to thank all people that made this expertise potential.”
Different awards included:
- Second Place — College of Tulsa, CattleLog Cattle Administration System
- Finest Technical Paper — Boston College, PLAANT: Precision Land Evaluation and Aerial Nitrogen Remedy
Sponsored by NASA’s Aeronautics Analysis Mission Directorate, this 12 months’s competitors requested groups of college college students to analysis new or improved aviation options to assist agriculture that may very well be utilized by 2035 or sooner. The aim of the competitors, titled AgAir: Aviation Options for Agriculture, was to boost manufacturing, effectivity, sustainability, and resilience to excessive climate.
On the discussion board, finalist groups offered ideas of aviation methods that would assist the agriculture trade.College students had the chance to meet with NASA and trade specialists, tour NASA Armstrong, and achieve perception into the company’s aviation mission.
U.S. agriculture offers meals, gas, and fiber to the nation and the world. Nevertheless, the trade faces vital challenges. NASA Aeronautics is dedicated to supporting industrial, industrial, and governmental companions in advancing aviation methods to modernize agricultural capabilities.
The Gateways to Blue Skies competitors is sponsored by NASA’s Aeronautics Analysis Mission Directorate’s University Innovation Project and is managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.
The Nationwide Institute of Aerospace has made accessible a livestream of the competition, in addition to data about the finalists and their projects, and details about the 2025 competition.