Medicine Hat College students showcase drone and transit research at C4i event
A summer showcase at Medicine Hat College's Centre for Innovation featured student projects ranging from agricultural drone imaging to a proposed coach service linking the Hat to Calgary's airport.
Medicine Hat College's Centre for Innovation (C4i) held its Summer Student Research and Innovation Showcase on Tuesday, featuring student-led projects in agriculture, health care, defence and security, and applied research. C4i was established at the college in fall 2022 to connect students, researchers and industry partners on regional challenges.
Student Nitin Nitin, a recent graduate of the college's sustainable environment program, spent the summer flying drones equipped with multispectral cameras over agricultural fields to assess crop health for producers in southeastern Alberta. Since joining C4i in June, he earned his drone pilot licence and gained experience in GIS mapping. He said the project is ongoing, with more flights planned before a final report is produced.
Another student, Jorja Bell, researched demand for a proposed regional transportation service that would use luxury coach buses to connect Medicine Hat and Lethbridge passengers with Calgary International Airport, allowing check-in and security before departure. Her survey drew 372 responses, far exceeding her goal of 50. It found 58 per cent of respondents had skipped air travel because getting to an international airport was inconvenient, 49 per cent said the service would make them more likely to fly, and 66 per cent said they would use it if available. Many respondents requested three daily departures covering morning, afternoon and night.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.