In partnership with NASA, seven seniors from Rutgers’ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are working to create an airplane-drone hybrid delivery system, where the drone is carried over long distances by airplane and undocks temporarily to deliver packages to doorsteps. The success of this project would improve access to rural addresses, ease road traffic in urban areas, and even transform the sharing of basic necessities, particularly for hospitals and emergency aid groups after natural disasters.
This project is the winner of a NASA University Student Research Challenge (USRC) Grant. In order to complete grant requirements, the team must meet a crowdfunding goal of $2000. Once achieved, the team will receive the full grant amount from NASA. More information can be found here.