AVC and the Multicopter Rodeo
A new competition taking place just after our AVC!
As you may have heard, next Saturday (June 16, 2012) is the fourth annual SparkFun Autonomous Vehicle Competition (or AVC). This competition has become kind of our signature event where we invite folks from all over the country/world to compete in a robotics contest held right here at SparkFun HQ in sunny Boulder, Colo. This year is shaping up to be a great one!
In the past, we have allowed just about any kind of small autonomous vehicle, including quadcopters. While we still adhere to the "Safety Third" line of thinking, we made the decision to not open the event to quads this year. We love them, but we've had some close calls. But we have good news!
Our friends over at DIY Drones (led by Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine) are holding a "Multicopter Rodeo" the day following AVC. The event will take place at 10:00 am on Sunday, June 17 at this location, which is about 15 minutes from Sparkfun. Autonomous multicopters and helicopters of all types are welcome, and the competition will consist of timed completion of a course, with extra points for autonomous takeoff and landing within a marked area. Prizes and refreshments will be provided, but mostly it's an opportunity to geek out with other aerial robotics fans and tune code for optimal performance. Low stress, high fun -- everyone welcome (and free!).
So there you have it! We hope to see you at AVC (and the following day at the Multicopter Rodeo). If you plan on attending the SparkFun AVC as a spectator, please register for spectator ticket (it's free!). See you then!
