Fullerton College AI Drone Team Earns Top American Finish at International A2RL Competition in Abu Dhabi
Fullerton College’s AI Drone Racing Team, led by student Eric Park, earned an impressive 9th place finish at the Autonomous Aerial Racing League (A2RL) global competition held in Abu Dhabi, placing higher than any other American team and ahead of multiple university and professional teams from around the world.
The international competition brought together 14 of the top AI drone racing teams from around the globe. Fullerton College’s entry, a collaboration between Park, two University of California, Irvine students, and two pilots from Cyclone Racing (a professional drone racing team), stood out not only for their performance, but also for their identity as a community college team competing at the highest level of autonomous aerial racing.
Only the top eight teams advanced to the finals, and Fullerton’s 9th-place finish was just outside the cutoff. However, it was a strong showing for the team’s debut on the world stage. The crowd and other competitors showed significant support for the community college team, who proudly represented Fullerton College and the broader community college system.
The team’s journey and the spirit of the event are captured in an official 8-minute highlight video of the A2RL competition.
Among the elite competitors was MavLab from the Netherlands, who entered the competition as the favorite—and ultimately took first place. However, Fullerton College’s top finish among American teams, including outperforming Code 19 (another U.S. entry not affiliated with a college), underscores the strength of its AI drone technology program and commitment to innovation.
Fullerton College’s Drone Technology Department continues to expand, offering cutting-edge instruction in autonomous systems, drone racing and aerial robotics. This performance marks another milestone for the program as it prepares students for the future of drone and autonomous technology.
Learn more about the drone program on the Fullerton College Drone Lab website.
