DJI has earned its reputation as a global technology innovator by creating drones so simple that anyone can use them. So why is DJI focusing on developing more complex robots in addition to aerial systems?
Since 2014, DJI has invested a tremendous amount of time, resources, energy, and money into RoboMaster, a college-level robotics competition. This annual international event offers a glimpse into why DJI began developing complicated, hands-on robotics.
The RoboMaster brings in students from universities across the world who form teams, create robots, and compete against each other. Since its inception, the RoboMaster Competition has attracted more than 20,000 students from over 400+ universities. These students work to out-smart other teams with programming and maneuvering, and by mastering robotics and engineering. Diving deep into these topics of study, students need to apply what they’ve learned to the competition to gain the upper hand. The RoboMaster finals end with a two-week tournament in a large arena in Shenzhen, China. These heart-racing, intense matches are broadcasted to millions of viewers across the world.
While it’s not difficult to capture the passion and dedication these student teams bring to the competition floor, what actually draws us as a company to host this annual event are the sights behind the scenes, away from the spotlight. In the arena’s hallways, spread across atriums, and occupying any space, we saw young engineers completely immersed in their element. Wiring on the floor, disassembled robot chassis, screens of undecipherable code. And in this chaos, we saw the same scene that gave birth to DJI in an undergrad’s dorm room. We saw the future.
Like we envisioned, RoboMaster competition allows students to apply and showcase their theories and concepts on a live stage. With this expectation, all participants rise to the occasion, proving that genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. By developing the S1, we aim to give young minds this same opportunity at an even earlier stage in their lives.
The RoboMaster S1 is both intuitive and complex for the benefit of school-aged students. From the first task of assembling the robot, kids, their parents, and teachers dive headfirst into the world of robotics. We made programming and coding language the name of the game so that the S1 could serve any classroom as an engaging resource for STEM, STEAM, and even project-based education models. First and foremost, we made the RoboMaster S1 to be a hands-on, interactive, and rigorous educational tool.
When it comes down to it, why did we make the RoboMaster S1?
As robotics gradually become an increasingly central part of our daily lives, understanding the intricacies of this technology is vital. These robots will help inspire the next generation of students, engineers, and scientists to be creative and think differently when it comes to how this technology can help the world.