Drone-racing, robowars enthral spectators on second day of VIT’s graVITas’24

Drone-racing and ‘robowars’ marked the second day of the 15th edition of graVITas’24, a three-day annual international techno-management fest, of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) at its campus here.

Hands-on piloting skills of students with the drones were tested. Students of various engineering streams put up an impressive show at the event. Speed and agility are the key attributes of the event, which kept the viewers on the edge of their seats.

The drones should navigate a series of obstacles, including arch-shaped structures and poles, covering a distance of around 200 metres without ramming them.

The drone that reaches the finish line quickly would be declared the winner.

The key to success in the event is to compete using small and weightless drones, which can easily navigate the obstacles, say organisers.

As for the robowars, there were three categories on the basis of the weight of the robots — 8 kg, 15 kg, and 60 kg. An enclosed space was designed for the contest, and the respective teams could operate their robots from outside the arena.

By and large, the robots were knocked out by superior and stronger ones in about 30 seconds. Twenty-minutes were allotted to the teams to repair their damaged robots, if they wished to participate again. However, replacement of the robots were not allowed.

VIT’s graVITas’24 features over 200 events, including 35 premium programmes such as drone-racing and laser show.

Prize pool

With a prize pool exceeding ₹25 lakh, participants compete for cash, gift vouchers, and software subscriptions. The event concludes on Sunday.

The Hindu is the print media partner for the fest. 

Published - September 29, 2024 12:55 am IST