WINGMAN Team From South Dakota State Wins NASA Aeronautics Challenge

Team WINGMAN from South Dakota State University secured first place at NASA’s fifth annual Gateways to Blue Skies Competition, besting other postsecondary teams in a national challenge focused on the future of aircraft maintenance. The competition, titled RepAir: Advancing Aircraft Maintenance, tasked students with developing innovative solutions for a field facing increased public scrutiny regarding flight safety and a growing workforce shortage. WINGMAN’s winning project centers on augmented reality safety glasses designed to assist aircraft mechanics with hands-free access to information and reporting during routine servicing and repairs, potentially offering a valuable tool as NASA seeks real-world implementation of these concepts.

RepAir Competition Addresses Aircraft Maintenance Challenges

A team from South Dakota State University secured first place in NASA’s RepAir: Advancing Aircraft Maintenance competition, demonstrating that innovation in aeronautics isn’t limited to established industry hubs. Team WINGMAN, led by Owen Diede and advised by Todd Letcher, bested other postsecondary teams at the Gateways to Blue Skies Forum held at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, presenting a solution designed to address growing concerns within the commercial aviation sector. This focus reflects NASA’s proactive approach to fostering research and bolstering the future aviation workforce, acknowledging the increasing demands placed on aging aircraft fleets. These glasses would provide hands-free access to voice-controlled manuals, automatic documentation, and photo recognition capabilities, streamlining the inspection process and potentially reducing errors.

The competition was not merely a theoretical exercise; Holz emphasized that the panel of experts were “excited about the possibilities these concepts could bring, as well as shared insights needed for these teams to push forward for real-world implementation.” Beyond the top prize, the event recognized other promising projects, including the University of California, Irvine’s Air Shield for aircraft structural health monitoring and the University of Georgia’s Quasar quantum sensing system. Experts from NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines evaluated the finalists’ presentations, highlighting the practical relevance of the proposed solutions.

The winning team members will have the opportunity to intern at one of NASA’s four aeronautics research centers, furthering their experience and potentially contributing to future advancements in the field. Owen Diede, WINGMAN team lead, said, “It was super exciting to participate in Gateways to Blue Skies, especially with the really interesting concepts this year,” acknowledging the collaborative spirit and learning opportunities afforded by the competition.

Traditional maintenance procedures rely heavily on paper-based manuals and experienced technicians, but a shift towards augmented reality is gaining traction as a means of improving efficiency and reducing error. The system integrates voice-controlled manuals, automatic documentation features, and photo recognition capabilities, allowing technicians to identify components and access relevant procedures without interrupting their work. This hands-free approach addresses the challenges presented by complex tasks and potentially reduces the risk of errors stemming from manual information retrieval.