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A team from South Dakota State University, with their project titled \u201cSoil Testing and Plant Leaf Extraction Drone\u201d took first place at the 2025 NASA Gateways to Blue Skies Competition, which challenged student teams to research aviation solutions to support U.S. agriculture.<\/p>\n
The winning project proposed a drone-based soil and tissue sampling process that would automate a typically labor-intensive farming task. The South Dakota State team competed among eight finalists at the 2025 Blue Skies Forum May 20-21 in Palmdale, California, near NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Subject matter experts from NASA and industry served as judges.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis competition challenges students to think creatively, explore new possibilities, and confront the emerging issues and opportunity spaces solvable through aviation platforms,\u201d said Steven Holz, assistant project manager for University Innovation with NASA\u2019s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Blue Skies judge and co-chair. \u201cThey bring imaginative ideas, interesting insights, and an impressive level of dedication. It\u2019s always an honor to work with the next generation of innovators participating in our competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steven holz<\/p>\n
Assistant Project Manager for University Innovation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The winning team members were awarded an opportunity to intern\u00a0during the 2025-26 academic year\u00a0at any of four\u00a0aeronautics-focused\u00a0NASA\u00a0centers \u2014\u00a0Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, Glenn Research Center\u00a0in Cleveland, Ames Research Center\u00a0in California\u2019s Silicon Valley,\u00a0or\u00a0Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been super-rewarding for our team to see how far we\u2019ve come, especially with all these other amazing projects that we were competing against,\u201d said Nathan Kuehl, team lead at South Dakota State University. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t have been possible without our graduate advisor, Allea Klauenberg, and advisor, Todd Lechter. We want to thank everybody that made this experience possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other awards included:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sponsored by NASA\u2019s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, this year\u2019s competition asked teams of university students to research new or improved aviation solutions to support agriculture that could be applied by 2035 or sooner. The goal of the competition, titled AgAir: Aviation Solutions for Agriculture, was to enhance production, efficiency, sustainability, and resilience to extreme weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the forum, finalist teams presented concepts of aviation systems that could help the agriculture industry.Students had the opportunity to\u00a0meet\u00a0with NASA and industry experts, tour NASA Armstrong, and gain insight into the\u00a0agency\u2019s\u00a0aviation\u00a0mission.<\/p>\n
U.S. agriculture provides food, fuel, and fiber to the nation and the world. However, the industry faces significant challenges.\u00a0NASA Aeronautics\u00a0is committed to supporting commercial, industrial, and governmental partners in advancing aviation systems to modernize agricultural capabilities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Gateways to Blue Skies competition is sponsored by NASA\u2019s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate\u2019s\u00a0University Innovation Project\u00a0and is managed by the\u00a0National Institute of Aerospace.<\/p>\n
The National Institute of Aerospace has made available a\u00a0livestream of the competition, as well as information\u00a0about the finalists and their projects, and\u00a0details about the 2025 competition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n