Announcements

St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, is delighted to announce the successful completion of the international collaborative project titled “Enhancements to the Ardupilot Mission Planner Software.”

This prestigious project was carried out under the joint initiative between the UAS Program of Kansas State University (KSU), USA, and SJEC from October 2024 to April 2025.

Four students from SJEC achieved this significant milestone:

• Muhammad Saheed

• Shovin J D’Souza

• Nithin

• Vyasa M Nayak

The project focused on improving key functionalities within the Ardupilot Mission Planner software to strengthen usability, interface clarity, and mission-specific features for hybrid VTOL unmanned aircraft systems.

Faculty Mentors

• Dr Raju Dandu, Professor and Graduate Faculty, Kansas State University – USA

• Mr Nathan Maresch, Senior Engineer / UAS Flight Instructor, Kansas State University – USA

• Dr Binu K G, Professor – Mechanical Engineering, SJEC

• Mr Vijay Ganesh, Assistant Professor – ECE, SJEC

SJEC is grateful for the extraordinary guidance and support received from Dr Raju Dandu and Mr Nathan Maresch. This collaboration reflects SJEC’s commitment to providing students with global exposure, hands-on research experience, and opportunities to work on cutting-edge aerospace and UAV technologies.

St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, proudly announces the successful completion of the first phase of the joint collaborative projects HiveLink and Astraios, carried out by students of SJEC and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), UK from February to August 2025.

The students who contributed to the successful completion are:

HiveLink Team

• Joywin Bennis

• Joshua Q Albuquerque

• Vyasa M Nayak

Astraios Team

• Rynor G Pinto

• Gianna A Lewis

The HiveLink project explores IoT-enabled solutions for smart beekeeping, whereas Astraios focuses on planetary rover technologies and control systems. Both projects provided the students with immersive research exposure, multidisciplinary learning, and international collaboration experience.

Faculty Mentors

HiveLink

• Mr Glenson Toney, Assistant Professor – ECE (Former), SJEC

• Dr Binu K G, Professor – Mechanical Engineering, SJEC

Astraios

• Dr Purushothama Chippar, Vice Principal, SJEC

MoU Coordinators

• Dr Binu K G, SJEC

• Ms Caren Fernandes, SHU

SJEC expresses its deep appreciation to Sheffield Hallam University for their continued partnership, which has opened new avenues for global academic engagement and experiential learning. The outcomes of these projects mark another significant step in promoting innovation, research culture, and international exposure among SJEC students.

Who can participate: Anyone with a background in science and technology, including students and faculty, is welcome to join Def-Space Tech Winter Internship. 

Apply for: Def -Space Tech Intern

Important: Applicants must apply online by completing the registration form. The Def-Space Winter Internship has a total of 1250 available seats. Selection shall be conducted on a merit basis, determined by the candidate's marks in the Examination.

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/JNCiZguyduRea4kw7

Note: The Def-Space Winter internship training program will offer lateral entry for officials, faculty, Research scholars, and students interested in technology or various projects.

Apply for Lateral Entry: https://forms.gle/g3zZyG7R88nuca8y6

Registration for Lateral Entry: Does not involve an examination process. Bharat Space Education Research Centre is pleased to announce an opportunity for officials, faculty, research scholars, and students to engage in lateral entry into their preferred technology areas. 
Recorded Lecture : The recorded session will be provided post Def-Space Winter Internship for those unable to attend due to any circumstances, allowing them to view the session at their convenience.

One Day Workshop : Register for the One Day AIRCRAFT DESIGN WORKSHOP (वायुयान डिजाइन कार्यशाला ) on October 19th, 2025: https://forms.gle/scpPq9h4bJMY5T6e6

2-Day Rocketry Workshop : The primary objective of the 2-Day Rocketry Design and Simulation Workshop is to equip participants with the theoretical foundations and practical skills necessary to understand, model, and validate rocket systems.

Rocketry Workshop Registration Link: https://forms.gle/D82BgSJk3qJcqMTH8

Date : 8th 9th November, 2025

The SJEC Aero Club at St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, has received drone components worth ₹1,28,000 from M/s Ninetron Tech, a technology startup operating from the SJEC campus, Vamanjoor.

Ninetron Tech specializes in delivering high-quality geospatial solutions to public and private sector organizations. The company also provides advanced drone systems and components including high-performance flight controllers, propulsion systems, UAV frames, and diverse payload solutions essential for modern unmanned aerial applications.

This support comes at a remarkable time for SJEC AERO, which recently achieved a historic All India Rank 1 at the SAEINDIA Drone Development Challenge (DDC) 2025, Micro Aircraft Category. Competing against premier engineering institutions from across the country, the team demonstrated exceptional strengths in aerodynamics, design thinking, and technical innovation — firmly positioning SJEC as a national leader in drone design and development.

The contribution from Ninetron Tech will empower the club to expand its ongoing research, pursue high-impact innovation, and accelerate the productization of drone technologies developed on campus.

Addressing the gathering during the handover ceremony, Dr Rio D’Souza, Principal, congratulated the team for their achievements and encouraged them to utilize this support to push technological boundaries even further. Rev. Fr Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, Director, conveyed his appreciation to Mr Abdul Shameer and Mr Deshan D’Souza of Ninetron Tech, expressing optimism for continued collaborative initiatives. Dr Purushothama Chippar, Vice Principal, highlighted the recent accomplishments of the club and shared his expectations for future milestones. Dr Binu K G, Head – Strategy & Planning, emphasized the importance of nurturing industry-academia partnerships and exploring co-development opportunities between SJEC and Ninetron Tech.

The event marks a significant step toward strengthening innovation ecosystems on campus and nurturing the next generation of drone technology leaders from SJEC.

SJEC has been recognized as 1st Runner-Up in the “Excellence in Energy Management (Corporate & Corporate Foundation Category)” at the INDIA CSR & Sustainability Conference & Awards 2025 organized by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). The recognition was formally presented in Bengaluru on September 4, 2025, and endorsed by Mr. M. G. Balakrishna, President, FKCCI.

Acknowledging the honour, Dr. Rio D’Souza, Principal, SJEC, said, “This recognition reflects SJEC’s sustained campus-wide commitment to responsible energy use and continuous improvement.”

Rev. Fr Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, Director, SJEC, who has been the driving force behind the institution’s Green Initiatives, stated, “We see this as motivation to deepen our efforts in energy stewardship and environmental responsibility.”

The proposal for this prestigious recognition was led by Dr. Nishitha D’Souza, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Chairperson of the Development and Planning Group (DPG), and was supported by Dr. Binu K G, Head – Strategy & Planning and Mentor (DPG).