University of Memphis Student Team Selected for Prestigious SICK LiDAR Challenge

Herff College and CAESER students develop breakthrough drone system for real-time waterway monitoring

The University of Memphis is once again making waves on the global innovation stage. A student team from the Herff College of Engineering and the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) has been selected as one of only 15 university groups worldwide to compete in the prestigious SICK LiDAR Challenge, an international competition hosted annually by industry leader SICK.

The Memphis team’s project, aptly named StreamEye, uses SICK’s advanced picoScan LiDAR sensor to develop a multi-UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) capable of performing high-resolution, real-time visual stream assessments (VSA). This innovative system will help researchers and environmental agencies better monitor water quality, stream degradation, and illegal dumping by capturing and analyzing detailed stream data.

A key innovation of StreamEye lies in its use of 2D LiDAR technology to generate 3D point cloud data, giving the drone system superior spatial awareness and navigation in complex stream environments—areas that are notoriously difficult for aerial systems to operate in. The project’s results could have far-reaching implications for stream surveying, flood hazard prediction, and environmental management.

The team is led by CAESER graduate students Parisa Daj and Peter Le, under the supervision of Dr. Eddie Jacobs, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Remote Sensing Laboratory. Undergraduate students Jumana Tuffaha, Kevin Friedl, Adam Bowling, and Lucas Polani also play key roles through the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program, which enables students to contribute to interdisciplinary research while earning academic credit.

As part of the competition, SICK has provided the team with a picoScan LiDAR system valued at $5,227. Teams will collaborate with SICK engineers throughout the year, submitting final projects in April 2026, when the top three winners will receive prizes of $10,000, $5,000, and $3,000, respectively.

With its selection for the SICK LiDAR Challenge, the University of Memphis continues to demonstrate its leadership in engineering innovation, environmental technology, and hands-on research that prepares students to solve real-world challenges.