Alabama A&M University is combining artificial intelligence, drones, and robotics to give students practical research experience and explore new tools for agriculture and environmental monitoring.
A robotic dog named E-Butch, after the University’s Bulldog mascot, is central to the initiative led by AAMU alumnus Justin Vaughner, Unified Drone Unit lead.
Vaughner is developing a system that would allow E-Butch to navigate and map environments autonomously while communicating with drones. That autonomous communication remains a development goal.
“The goal is to enable autonomous operation in areas where human presence is either unnecessary or poses potential risks,” Vaughner said.
Researchers already use drones with specialized cameras to assess crop health and track plant growth. Vaughner hopes to expand those capabilities with hyperspectral imaging to help identify plant stress and disease.
The program uses about 25 drones and two robotic dogs equipped with lidar sensors, which use lasers to measure distances and map surroundings.
Students are already participating in faculty-led research, connecting classroom learning with programming, sensors, data analysis, and practical applications supporting Alabama A&M’s land-grant mission.