Minnesota Students Win National Farm Robotics Award

By Scout Nelson

A team of computer science and mechanical engineering students from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities has earned the 2025 Excellence in Small Farm Technology award at the Farm Robotics Challenge. The national competition recognizes college teams that design innovative robotic solutions for real-world agricultural challenges.

The team’s project, titled FarmGuard’s Multi-Robot Deer Deterrence System, aims to help small farms reduce crop losses caused by deer. Their autonomous drone system uses onboard cameras and advanced computer vision algorithms to detect deer in real-time, both day and night.

Once detected, the drone activates deterrents such as flashing lights and sound signals to keep deer away from crops.

FarmGuard drones feature optimized flight paths to maximize field coverage while conserving energy. Designed with self-charging capabilities, the system operates continuously, offering farmers reliable protection through automated surveillance.

The students began their project by consulting with farmers to better understand their challenges. They discovered that traditional deer deterrents like fencing and mesh are costly and only moderately effective. Their goal was to create a smarter, more affordable alternative that improves farm productivity while reducing expenses.

“Understanding that the students needed to talk to real people to solve real problems was an important part of this challenge,” said Maria Gini, College of Science and Engineering Distinguished Professor and project advisor.

Along with the award, the University of Minnesota team received a $5,000 prize to continue developing and testing their drone system. The National AI Research Institute for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry supported the project, while the Minnesota Robotics Institute provided facilities and materials.

The award-winning FarmGuard project highlights how technology and innovation can strengthen sustainable agriculture and improve problem-solving for small farms nationwide.

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