Drones

 

🚀 Top Moonshot Project Ideas (Ranked)

🥇 1. Autonomous “Mars-Style” Scout Drone (Best Overall)

Goal: Build a drone that navigates and maps terrain without GPS, as if it were on Mars.

What you’d do

• Use optical flow, IMU, and vision instead of GPS

• Autonomous takeoff, navigation, and landing

• Avoid obstacles using computer vision

• Create a map (2D or simple 3D)

Why it’s impressive

• Directly inspired by Mars drones like Ingenuity

• Shows AI, control systems, and robotics

• Scales well: simulation → indoor → outdoor

Stretch goals

• Fly in a low-density environment simulation (large indoor space, slow prop speeds)

• Energy-aware flight planning

---

🥈 2. Drone Swarm Simulation + One Real Drone

Goal: Show how multiple drones could cooperate, even if you only physically build one.

What you’d do

• Simulate 5–20 drones in software

• Implement swarm behaviors (search, formation, relay)

• Connect one real drone as a “leader” or test node

Tools

• Python + ROS2

• Gazebo / Webots / Unity

• PX4 or ArduPilot

Why it stands out

• Swarm robotics is cutting-edge

• Shows systems thinking

• Real missions (search & rescue, space exploration)

---

🥉 3. CubeSat-Inspired Mars Micro-Probe (No Flying Required)

Goal: Design and build a CubeSat-style probe that could go to Mars.

What you’d do

• Design a 3U or 6U CubeSat

• Choose sensors, power system, comms

• Simulate trajectory Earth → Mars

• Build a physical mockup

• Write a mission proposal

Why this works

• No flight risk

• Heavy on engineering trade-offs

• Looks amazing in portfolios

---

🌍 Strong Alternative Moonshots

🌱 4. Environmental Monitoring Drone (Real Impact)

• Detect heat loss, crop health, air quality, or pollution

• Autonomous survey flights

• Data visualization dashboard

Great if you like climate, sustainability, or real-world impact.

---

🧠 5. AI Vision Drone (Computer Vision Focus)

• Detect people, animals, vehicles, or terrain features

• Edge AI (runs onboard, not in the cloud)

• Compare accuracy vs power use

Perfect if you love AI/ML.

---

🧪 What NOT to do

🚫 “I built a drone that flies”
🚫 Copy-paste tutorials
🚫 No documentation
🚫 No autonomy

Flying alone isn’t impressive anymore — thinking is.

---

🛠 Recommended Tech Stack (High School Friendly)

• Drone: Custom or off-the-shelf quad

• Autopilot: PX4 or ArduPilot

• Companion computer: Raspberry Pi or Jetson Nano

• Languages: Python + some C++

• Simulation: Gazebo, Webots, or AirSim

---

📄 How to present it (this matters a LOT)

Create:

1. GitHub repo (clean, documented)

2. Short technical paper (5–8 pages)

3. Demo video (2–4 minutes)

4. Design trade-off section (“why I chose X over Y”)

Admissions officers and judges love this.

---

🎯 Best choice by interest

If you like…	Do this
Space	Mars-style autonomous drone
AI	Vision-based drone
Systems	Swarm simulation
Engineering	CubeSat Mars probe
Impact	Environmental drone

---

Bottom line

A Mars-inspired autonomous drone or CubeSat Mars probe is a true moonshot for a high school senior — challenging, unique, and realistic.