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by Walt Maciborski
AUSTIN, Texas — Verge Aero, based in Buda, just outside of Austin, is taking elaborate drone shows to new heights, using cutting-edge technology to tell stories in the sky.
So, when the University of Texas was looking for a company to elevate the fan experience at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium they called Verge Aero, and Executive Senior Associate AD at UT Drew Martin will never forget the call with his team.
“We said, ‘You're not going to believe this, I found a drone company,’” Drew said. “And not only are they in the Austin area, but it's run by a Texas EX and he really wants to work with us.”
That was Verge Aero CEO Nils Thorjussen.
“We were super excited because I’m an alum and this is our hometown so to be able to do something fun for the team was really just an awesome experience,” Nils said.
Drew and his team at UT didn’t exactly know how Verge Aero was going to pull off their complicated plan but, it wasn’t Nils’ first rodeo.
“So, we could quickly design the content they wanted and deploy it at exactly the right place at the North end of the stadium,” Nils said.
Verge Aero’s creative team first built the show on the computer using their proprietary software and a Google Earth map of the UT campus. They could show and track the movement of the drones from liftoff, during the show and then the landing.
And of course, they programmed the drones to form UT’s iconic symbols. Plus, the 300 drones can do all that without bumping into each other.
“So, we have a big robust drone, and it can withstand a lot of wind and then we marry it with GPS that is very precise,” Nils said. “You can’t just use regular GPS you have to enhance it with greater air correction and precision.
Here’s the script.
“We knew that the best moment in the game for us to facilitate the drone show was the end of the 3rd quarter,” Assistant Athletics Director of Marketing at UT Athletics Charles Branch said.
“Where we marry the tradition of the band playing Wabash Cannonball,” Drew said. “That goes into the famous (Walter) Cronkite spot of, ’What starts here changes the world.’”
Then Verge Aero pushed a button and launched the drones.
“And we knew that’s where wanted the drones to come in, right when he said, ‘Get your horns up,’” Charles said. “How amazing would that be to have a giant hook ‘em horns sign in the air.”
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Verge Aero pulled it off. Right on cue.
“It was amazing, and I love it when we do shows like this where people have no idea what’s coming,” Nils said.
But then UT had one more request.
“Can we just put the words? Texas. Fight. Texas. Fight. in the sky,” Drew said. “It wound up being one of those epic moments.”
Drew and his team were worried it might be a distraction for the team. But it seemed to give Texas the ultimate home-field advantage at the right moment.
“And score a touchdown while the show was happening,” Charles said. “You couldn’t write it up any better. It was a Hollywood script.”
“The stadium exploded,” Drew said.
The players even noticed it.
“They might need to do that more often,” Longhorn Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy said.
For Verge Aero, it was mission accomplished.
“So that was quite an amazing experience on all fronts,” Nils said.
And UT pulled off an unforgettable moment.
“It's insane,” Charles said. “And to actually see this technology for the first time and see these drones come to life and how choreographed in the air and just how precise they are, it was fascinating.”
“That to me is going to go down as one of the biggest moments in DKR history,” Drew said.
