NXP launched their third HoverGames design challenge with Hackster.io called the NXP HoverGames Challenge 3: Land, Sky, Food Supply. The contest supports sustainable food production by using mobile robotics technology.
This exclusive contest is the first opportunity for global developers to use NXP’s all-new NAVQPlus (NAVQ+) edge compute board that is designed for commercial drone and autonomous vehicle development.
 Bosch Sensortec also provided their AI-enabled environmental gas sensor in the developer kit, adding versatile peripheral sensing capability to support all the different types of applications in farming and food production, as well as their respective supply chains. For example, one application could be to detect the presence of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) as an indicator for bacteria growth in food crops and use mobile robotics techniques to automate the process—making the food ecosystem smarter and more sustainable.Â
 One hundred proposals will be selected for the contest and given free sensor components and coupons for purchasing drone or rover hardware bundles. These hardware applications will be accepted until November 21.Â
The drone kit contains:
- Strong, rigid lightweight carbon fiber quadcopter frame with platform, mounting rails, landing gear, motor controllers, motors and props
- Telemetry radio and remote control (RC) radio
- Vehicle Management Unit (RDDRONE-FMUK66 FMU) that’s supported by the open-source PX4 flight stack on top of NuttX RTOS.
The rover kit contains:
- High-tech platform for mobile robotics built on top of a WLToys 12409 chassis
- All necessary components such as a motor, ESC, servo and GPS
- Vehicle Management Unit (RDDRONE-FMUK66 FMU) that’s supported by the open-source PX4 flight stack on top of NuttX RTOS.
 Contest winners will receive:
- Up to $9500 award money from NXP
- a sustainability prize from Bosch Sensortec for applications demonstrating the best use of its edge AI-enabled sensor technology
- a trip to attend the PX4 Developer Summit 2023 – the world’s largest annual drone developer conference from the Dronecode Foundation.
 Since the first Hovergames in 2019, the program has been a flagship event of NXP’s technology for good innovation efforts. Hackster.io enabled the global developer and engineering community to respond to NXP’s initiative.
 To learn more, visit https://www.hackster.io/contests/nxp-hovergames-challenge-3
