A2RL Soars to New Heights: Launches Autonomous Drone Racing Championship Worth US $1Mn Prize Pool
25 July 2024 - 4:30PM
Business Wire
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), which made its
impressive debut this April at the Yas Marina Circuit, has
announced the next phase of its challenge with the Drone Champions
League (DCL), the world's premier professional drone racing
organization. Building on the success of its inaugural event, the
A2RL Drone Race continues to advance the frontiers of autonomous
technology, merging human skill with innovative advancements in
autonomous flight.
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The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
(A2RL) x Drone Champions League (DCL) (Graphic: AETOSWire)
The Autonomous Drone Race will bring together teams from across
the globe, welcoming established drone racing teams, research
institutions and enthusiastic 'rookies.' All competitors will vie
for a thrilling prize purse of US$1million, as they strive to
achieve maximum agility and speed while successfully maneuvering
through objects in the way. Registration is now open at a2rl.io,
and interested teams are invited to apply for the competition. All
entries will undergo a rigorous selection process to identify the
successful competing teams. Those who pass the screening will be
invited to participate in a series of tasks that will allow the
judging panel to assess the teams' proficiency in using an
open-source simulator to fly a drone autonomously. The grand finale
will be held in April 2025, where the winner will be
determined.
Organized by ASPIRE, A2RL integrates artificial intelligence
(AI), autonomy and extreme sports to push the boundaries of future
mobility and is spotlighted as the largest autonomous racing league
in the world. The A2RL extreme autonomous drone race will see
competing researchers program drones to navigate through a sequence
of gates, avoiding obstacles, using onboard sensors and
computational power. The main goal of the race is to set a
benchmark for achieving maximum innovation in algorithms while
using minimal sensor technology in complex environments.
As with all grand challenges, the A2RL Drone Challenge will also
include a STEM focus and high-school students will be welcome to be
a part of the competition.
Announcing the new competition, H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary
General of ATRC, said: “It's only when you experiment in extreme
conditions that you really discover new boundaries or breakthroughs
in science. We’re inspiring global collaboration, driving
technological progress, and creating a future where autonomous
solutions transform industries and improve lives.”
Stephane Timpano, CEO at ASPIRE, said: “This is an exciting
evolution of our A2RL extreme racing series. DCL is a like-minded
partner with years of invaluable drone racing experience. Together,
we are not only adding a new autonomous dimension to drone racing
but are also demonstrating the limitless possibilities of unmanned
aerial vehicles through this competition.”
Markus Stampfer, Executive Chair of Drone Champions AG, the
organizer of the Drone Champions League (DCL), said: “At DCL, our
mission has always been to push the boundaries of drone racing.
Having successfully merged the worlds of virtual and physical drone
racing, partnering with ASPIRE to advance autonomous drone flying
is a natural next step for us. We are thrilled to bring our
extensive experience and expertise to this pioneering competition,
supporting ASPIRE with the knowledge we've gained from years of
developing race drones and working with the world's best drone
pilots.”
By advancing drone technology, this race aims to make drone
usage accessible for all countries, ultimately reducing costs and
driving innovation across industries such as health and
logistics.
For media enquiries please contact: comms@a2rl.io or
ATRC@edelman.com
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*Source: AETOSWire
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Jennifer Dewan, Senior Director of Communications
Jennifer.dewan@tii.ae