By Emily Case-Buskirk | School of Natural Resources
Imagine piloting a small, nimble drone through an obstacle course against a field of competitors. Alex Martin, a lab manager in the School of Natural Resources, is working with Ryan Tan, Director of Esports at the University of Nebraska, to grow the activity of drone racing on campus.
In drone racing, participants operate a small drone with a remote control. There is a video camera attached to the drone that streams the drone’s point of view. The operator usually wears display goggles that receive these video transmissions to be immersed in the aerial perspective. This is called first-person view, or FPV.
“You’re kind of flying like a bird in the air,” Martin said.
There are various ways to fly FPV drones, including freestyle, cinematic, videography, and racing. Martin is a part of a club called No Coast Drone Racing, comprised of around a dozen members in eastern Nebraska. Racing events are held in various locations around Lincoln and Omaha, including Hardin Hall's auditorium and second floor spaces.
Martin got into the hobby in July 2020. He was looking for something to do during the Covid-19 lockdown, and became interested after a friend sent him a drone racing video.
“The thing that got me hooked was flying around the house, up around the chairs, up in the ceiling,” he said. “Exploring from a completely different perspective.”
He started attending racing events in different states, including Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma and New York.
“It’s a nice community. But it’s small, that’s the problem,” he said. “We have one of the more active clubs in the country and we struggle to get a dozen people to fly.”
Martin has appreciated having Hardin Hall as an on-campus meeting place for his team. He has also been working with Tan on incorporating drone racing into UNL's esports program, which is made up of 1,400 students and alumni.
“The goal is to create a hub for those who want to do esports,” Tan said. This hub provides an inclusive community, skill development and plenty of opportunities for competitive play.
Tan sees drone racing as a natural addition to the esports program.
“To me, it’s always been a clear and straightforward transition into a world where drones and AI are rapidly becoming household names,” he said. “I think it’s important to prepare students for careers that not only need to account for drones and AI, but also understanding human competencies and potential so they recognize their value in the workplace.”
One hurdle with introducing newbies to drone racing is its learning curve and start-up costs. Martin recommends getting acquainted with drone flying through a simulator program, then making the leap to buying the drone and goggles.
No Coast Drone Racing has done exhibitions in spaces such as the Kiewit Luminarium, a family-friendly science museum in Omaha. The group will be working with the esports team to do another event at the Lincoln Nerd Fest convention in October.
Tan is optimistic about the potential that this partnership will have for the esports program.
“I think I have a good partner in Alex for the development of a drone program that Nebraska could be proud of,” he said. “Numerous universities around the country have budding or developed programs integrated with their respective racing community. I don't see why we couldn't have that here.”
For more information, contact amartin58@unl.edu or rtan5@unl.edu.