Polaris

Polaris Company Name

Inspiration Autonomous drones are transforming delivery, logistics, and inspections, but companies struggle to scale fleets because they have to build their own infrastructure from scratch. We wanted to create a shared platform that makes drone fleet management simple, efficient, and scalable.

What it does Polaris is the AWS for drone fleets. It lets users manage routing and optimize fleet operations with AI while coordinating charging at physical nodes. Polaris provides the physical and cloud infrastructure for companies to integrate into a centralized management system: drones can pause at charging stations, plan around each other, communicate over secure wireless networks, and scale seamlessly. On the web, companies can see all drones in the network, manage their fleet, and get AI insights instantly in the many dashboards provided. In practice, drones in our simulation automatically navigate routes, recharge at nodes, and complete deliveries efficiently.

How we built it

Frontend: React + Leaflet for map integration
Backend: Node.js + MongoDB Atlas for fleet data
AI analytics: Google Gemini API for routing and congestion insights + ElevenLabs for voice analytics (works locally but production is in shambles😭)
ML integration: Drones automatically manage their routing using machine learning algorithms created with TensorFlow.js
Payments / economy layer: Simulated Solana transactions for node usage

We focused on visualizing drone networks and showing real-time fleet management in a way that feels functional even as a simulation.

Challenges we ran into

Deployment issues
Integrating multiple APIs (AI, database, blockchain simulation) seamlessly
Machine learning drone intergration was challenging -> definitely a learning experience for us

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

Fully functioning live map with simulated drone fleets
Simulated micro-payments to infrastructure nodes, showing economic potential
Tying business with software -> new angle for us, never done before

What we learned

How to design and integrate multiple APIs for a single cohesive experience
The challenges of real-time simulation and visualization
Thought about the feasibility of our solution in terms of solution + tools required

What’s next for Polaris

Add real-time AI traffic management for multiple fleets
Integrate weather and battery, prediction models
Expand infrastructure simulation to a global scale
Explore partnerships with drone hardware providers to move from simulation to prototype
Integrate real blockchain transactions