{"id":16004,"date":"2020-05-05T14:20:47","date_gmt":"2020-05-05T19:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/?p=16004"},"modified":"2020-05-05T14:20:47","modified_gmt":"2020-05-05T19:20:47","slug":"annual-drone-racing-tournament-goes-virtual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/2020\/05\/annual-drone-racing-tournament-goes-virtual\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual drone racing tournament goes virtual"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weekend competition, via simulator, features first-ever live FPV drone racing on television<\/h4>\n
\"\"
Between races at the 1st Annual Virtual Drone Racing Tournament, the broadcast team featuring Joe Scully (bottom left) and UND’s own Jordan Krueger (bottom right) talked to pilots and broke down the action. Above, UND pilots Jack Engstrom and Russell Marotzke offer remarks following their third-place finish on Sunday. YouTube screenshot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once it became clear that the 2020 Collegiate Drone Racing Championship would have to be postponed until the following year, Jordan Krueger started thinking about virtual competition.<\/p>\n

After all, when it comes to flying five-inch drones at speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour, simulation training works. And it’s clearly the most cost-effective way of practicing tight turns and complex course routines.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s why, while the COVID-19 pandemic may have kept dozens of pilots representing dozens of schools from converging on the UND High Performance Center, the University, the Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS) and the Collegiate Drone Racing Association (CDRA) still hosted a tournament this past weekend.<\/p>\n

Using Velocidrone \u2014\u00a0a simulator for first-person-view drone racing \u2014 40 pilots from 18 colleges across the country competed online for fastest pilot and fastest school.<\/p>\n

In Sunday\u2019s double-elimination team bracket, UND earned a third-place finish behind runner-up University of Central Florida and Northeastern University, the champions of the 1st<\/sup> Annual Virtual Drone Racing Tournament. Northeastern\u2019s top pilot, Pedro Caceres, also took first in the individual bracket.<\/p>\n

The competition was broadcasted on YouTube, Twitch and Midco Sports Network. The televised coverage represented a significant milestone for the drone racing industry, as it was the first time races have been live and not pre-recorded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tournament was a benefit to all parties and all pilots,\u201d said Krueger, a UND graduate, project manager at RIAS and president of the CDRA. \u201cA lot of the effort behind it was volunteered, and that was made knowing this tournament will help grow the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
After working with multiple partners to make the 2019 Collegiate Drone Racing Championship a success, Krueger brought them back together to create a virtual tournament for collegiate drone pilots. The weekend saw him taking on a broadcasting role for the first time, as opposed to flying in competition. UND archival image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From pilot to broadcaster<\/h4>\n

After flying as UND\u2019s drone racing captain in last year\u2019s competition, the first hosted by the University, Krueger found himself in the caster\u2019s chair for Saturday\u2019s and Sunday\u2019s broadcasts.<\/p>\n

He provided commentary for the races alongside Joe Scully, a well-known play-by-play announcer who\u2019s also vice president of event production for MultiGP, a leading drone racing organization. Scully emceed UND\u2019s 2019 event, as well.<\/p>\n

The full broadcasts are available for viewing on MultiGP\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it was a lot of fun and felt pretty natural,\u201d Krueger said. \u201cScully and I had a few nights practicing commentary on the track, and I loved it. Being that this is the first annual event, I\u2019m looking forward to doing it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two pilots from UND cracked the top eight of individual competition and comprised the duo bringing home the bronze in team play. Sophomore Russell Marotzke took fourth and Jack Engstrom, also a sophomore, came in sixth. Former teammate Krueger was proud of the group of pilots, saying the placements are only getting better for the young squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told me they surprised themselves with how well they did,\u201d Krueger said. \u201cOur pilots were fantastic, and I\u2019ll continue to work with them and coach them as club advisor to the UND UAS\/RC Club.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to see how we progress for the 2021 Collegiate Drone Racing Championship at UND.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for watching,\u201d said Engstrom to viewers following the consolation bracket finals. \u201cWe know it was kind of short notice, and it means a lot to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
This snapshot of head-to-head action shows the virtual perspective for FPV racing. While pilots maintain their view through the eyes of their aircraft, broadcasters are able to swap between viewpoints on the fly. In this shot, a pilot from University of Central Florida is just ahead of UND’s own Russell Marotzke. YouTube screenshot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Achieving more through racing<\/h4>\n

In light of a global pandemic forcing the competition online, the CDRA established a coronavirus relief fundraiser, through GoFundMe, in connection to the event<\/a>. The proceeds from the weekend and through the end of May will benefit the Centers for Disease Control Foundation.<\/p>\n

Naomi Hansen, communications director from RIAS, helped organize the virtual tournament. She said not only was it a good opportunity to bring awareness to the sport, but also the competition could provide something positive during a difficult time.<\/p>\n

The Research Institute for Autonomous Systems will be awarding plaques and gift cards as awards to the top three finishers of the individual and team contests.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a great occasion to provide some entertainment, since sports aren\u2019t being played right now, and it was also a meaningful way to support the fight against COVID-19,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cMidco Sports Network was an outstanding partner on this, broadcasting the tournament across multiple states.\u201d<\/p>\n

UND\u2019s Interim Vice President for Research & Economic Development, John Mihelich, agreed, saying that the leadership and team at Midco Sports Network was responsive, adaptable and community-focused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are grateful for such partnerships and look forward to the many things we can accomplish in the realm of drone racing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that the support of drone racing competitions benefits RIAS\u2019 mission of engaging existing and future autonomous systems researchers; the activity also provides an opportunity for student leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tournament offers an opportunity for UND to connect to its students, prospective students and other campuses,\u201d Mihelich said. \u201cWe are supporting a first-of-its-kind collegiate competition, reinforcing our commitment to imagination and discovery and preparing students to actively lead and shape the future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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