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When the ����ɬ���� Golden Flashes football team took the field on Saturday, Oct. 11, fans at Dix Stadium looked to the sky as a ����ɬ���� Alta X drone released the official game ball before kickoff. The successful drop marked a first for ����ɬ���� and a milestone for the College of Aeronautics and Engineering.

The project showcased how students and faculty from across the college collaborate to bring advanced technology to life. The flight operation was led by Amy Alrutz, a graduate student in the college, who piloted the Alta X. The release mechanism was redesigned and 3D printed by Michael Anderson, a senior aerospace engineering student, based on the original design created by Emily Lorenzon, a junior aerospace engineering student minoring in unmanned aircraft systems.

Jason Lorenzon, J.D., assistant professor of aeronautics, and Benjamin Kwasa, Ph.D., assistant professor of engineering, guided students through the design, fabrication, and testing process. The idea of delivering the Homecoming game ball via drone came about during a conversation with ����ɬ���� President Todd Diacon at the 2024 A&E Expo. “It has been a goal of our college to do that, and we have the ability to do that now,” said Jason Lorezon. 

Alrutz said the team spent weeks preparing for the event, and that coordination with university and public safety partners was key to the success. “We have worked with many people across the university to ensure we are able to drop the ball for the game,” Alrutz said, adding that ����ɬ���� Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration provided approval for the drop based on the safety plan the team created and presented. “Each member of our team who is acting as a visual observer will add another layer of safety to the operation.”

During the summer of 2025, Emily Lorenzon worked with Kwasa on the first prototype of the mechanism needed to attach to the drone. “My task was to create a custom box that would hold and release a football using the Alta X drone,” she said. After developing three design concepts exploring vertical and horizontal orientations, she chose a vertical design because it provided a better view of the ball.  She felt the project was a valuable experience for her as it combined engineering skills with event design.

Anderson later modified the design so that it could be manufactured in the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab. His redesign included the core elements of the original design, but his changes helped fit the model within the build volume of the 3D printer. Anderson also worked on wiring the electronics that allowed for the lid to open when the servo, a small motor that controls movement, rotated. “All in all, it was a fun experience, and I look forward to working on similar projects in the future.”

The drone-delivered Homecoming game ball drop project reflected the college’s emphasis on experiential learning and collaboration between the schools of Aeronautics and Engineering, giving students direct experience in research, and ����ɬ����’s leadership in preparing students to design, build and operate the technologies driving the future.