Sep. 26—GRAND FORKS — A college student raised high above a football field with a camera in a scissor lift has long been a staple of the practice setting.
For the UND football program, those days are no more.
UND now films practice using drones operated on the ground with handheld controllers by UAS-interested students.
“First off, you love the film from it,” UND head coach Eric Schmidt said. “It’s higher up and better quality.”
Schmidt has pushed for greater collaboration on campus on a number of fronts. He’s already partnered his program with dietetics, nutrition and kinesiology. His next vision includes the school’s engineering department helping to create an environment indoors that can track player mileage, speed and contact.
Schmidt said the move to drone filming is cost-effective and logistical.
UND holds practice across three locations: Memorial Field, indoors at the Pollard Center and on the grass surface to the south of Memorial.
With drones in use, the pilots can fly between locations and the team doesn’t need multiple scissor lifts.
“After one year, it’ll be the same cost and we’ll save money after that,” Schmidt said. “The best view for us is the end zone wide view. It shows how everyone aligns. If you’re up high enough, you can see first steps and where the strikes are at. It makes for really good teaching.”
Schmidt credits Greyson Gutzmer, UND football Director of Video and Technology, for executing the logistics of changing to drone film.
“He researched what are the best drones for this because we need sturdy and powerful to handle the wind so we can still film when it’s gusting,” Schmidt said. “He built relationships with the drone club and aviation department. That was crucial to get this off the ground and get it done in a short amount of time.”
UND started fall camp using scissor lifts as the program waited for students to arrive to campus in order to find more pilots.
By September, the program completely changed to drones.
Earlier this week, despite a thick fog, UND students Mateo Sandoval-Luna and Collin Durvin flew the drones to precise locations mapped out based on the Hawks’ practice periods.
“Greyson reached out to the RC club, and I thought this was the coolest opportunity ever, so I pursued it more,” said Sandoval-Luna.
Sandoval-Luna, a Hermantown, Minn., native, is a dual major of commercial aviation and UAS. He’s the president of the school’s UAS RC Club.
“This is the most advanced program for UAS in the nation,” Sandoval-Luna said. “We’re really the top school for it right now.”
Durvin is a commercial aviation student in his fifth year at UND.
“Mateo put on social media that there was this opportunity, and I thought it’d be a great opportunity to get professional experience in the industry,” said Durvin, a Fargo native.
Gutzmer, Sandoval-Luna and Durvin swap out memory chips from the drones during practice. Gutzmer then downloads the film for players and coaches to quickly access.
“Twenty-five minutes after walking off the field, I can watch practice,” Schmidt said. “Then, I can get it to our guys on i-pads and phones within an hour. It’s really good to teach with and make accessible.”
