A student team from Pune Institute of Computer Technology (PICT) has bagged the top spot in the ISRO Robotic Challenge, themed ‘Fly Me on Mars.’ The contest, organised by ISRO’s U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), tasked students across India with designing drones capable of navigating on Mars without GPS or compass support.
The winning team, Galactic Gearheads, comprised students Hrushikesh Patwardhan, Nimish Satav, and Kaushal Chaudhari, under the mentorship of Dr. Sandeep Gaikwad. Their lightweight 1.7 kg drone successfully demonstrated key capabilities such as autonomous vertical take-off, hovering, safe landing, and return-to-base operations.
To tackle the unique Martian conditions, the team used optical flow algorithms, LiDAR-based terrain scanning, and even built a one-meter Mars-like test arena at their campus for trials. Their design stood out among 16 finalist teams competing in the challenge.
The achievement echoes the legacy of Indian-origin scientist Dr. Bob Balaram, who designed NASA’s Ingenuity — the first helicopter to fly on Mars. Inspired by his work, the Pune students expressed hope that their drone may one day assist India’s missions to the Red Planet.
ISRO is already preparing for a follow-up to its successful 2013 Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), with plans for a soft landing on Mars. Experts believe that innovations like the one developed at PICT could eventually support such missions, offering indigenous solutions for aerial exploration.
The challenge highlighted not just India’s growing space ambitions but also the crucial role of student-driven innovation. With young minds rising to the occasion, ISRO’s vision of expanding India’s interplanetary capabilities is finding strong grassroots support.
