Rocket-Powered Reforestation: Engineering a Model Rocket-Deployed Aerial Seeding Device

Overview

ROCKET POWERED REFORESTATION: ENGINEERING A ROCKET-DEPLOYED AERIAL SEEDING DEVICE. Daniel Ahdoot and Ryan Pearlman. David Schmidt. Gaspar De Portola Highly Gifted Magnet, 18270 Linett Street, Tarzana, CA 91356. With deforestation worsening by the day, traditional seed dispersal methods are too expensive, inefficient, and dangerous for many to access, creating a need for a low-cost and controlled alternative. To address this problem, our project aims to develop an alternative to traditional drone-based seed dispersal for reforestation using a seed dispersal glider deployed by a model rocket. It was hypothesized that a model rocket with a payload fairing would be able to deploy a glider effectively and reliably, in which the glider would then disperse seeds over a predicted area. The procedures for this project involved designing the rocket’s airframe, recovery system, and fairing that would safely release the glider at apogee. To create the glider, the body was 3D printed, and the electronics and other hardware were added inside. From here, several tests were conducted to evaluate the rocket’s stability, altitude capability, deployment success, and the glider’s stability and effectiveness over different flight paths. The results showed that the rocket could consistently deploy the glider at a predictable altitude, and the glider was able to maintain stability during flight, as expected. The results demonstrate a successful proof of concept that model rockets can be used as an effective system for aerial seed dispersal, with the glider serving as a low-cost aerial seeding device that is accessible to anyone.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Environmental Engineering (Junior Division) · Entry J-11-42

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