UMASS Engineering & Entrepreneurship

What started out as an exercise in alumni support: design a robotic IoT poultry tractor, with the UMASS, Amherst Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, has evolved into a project with significant potential in world agriculture and population heath.

Using commercial of the shelf equipment (COTS) and materials, our team of undergraduate engineers has developed a field deploy-able modular UAS system that can precisely apply dry particles, liquids and IoT sensors, in remote locations, recharging and replenishing these systems semi-autonomously. Applications include not only in agriculture and pest management, but also environmental monitoring, communications and security. During our work we reached out to another UMASS undergraduate startup: HydroMarker.com, winners of the 2017 HackUMASS V competition, to explore ways the groups could work together. HydroMaker.com maps water quality data collected using COTS drones, sensors and GPS time data, and makes this information available to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

In Spring 2018, we'll demonstrate how this solution can support existing US based manufacturers and service providers, incorporate 3d printed parts in OEM supply, and identify additional applications by supplying hardware development kits (HDK) to the industry.