Drone State 2024
When our drone racing program grew double from the year before, the our state tournament needed more than brackets and scores, it needed a true identity. This was about more than a new event. It was about giving students the same level of storytelling power we had built into esports, while creating something distinct that felt true to them. And in Grand Forks County, where aviation is part of the culture and careers in piloting are common, the tournament had to show students that what they were learning could take them farther than competition alone.
Skills Contributed:
Art Direction ● Video Editing ● Photography ● Graphic Design
Behind the Vision
We built the identity around themes of flight and space, blending them with familiar touches from our esports visuals. The look gave the event both a sense of excitement and a nod to the limitless potential of drone racing, while still tying it back to the communities it served.
What made this experience stand out was how it connected to the culture forming around the tournament. Students brought their own flair, school pride and traditions that made the event uniquely theirs. The design gave those expressions a backdrop, turning individual moments into part of a shared experience that felt bigger than any one race.
Most importantly, the direction was shaped with students in mind. We listened to how they celebrated drone racing, what it meant to them, and reflected that in the visuals. For many, this tournament felt like more than a competition, it was the first time they were recognized as pioneers in a new field with a future they could aspire to.
Where It Landed
The identity elevated the tournament into more than a race. Students were celebrated not just as competitors but as future professionals, with visuals that tied directly to the aviation culture already rooted in the region. For many, it was the first time they saw drone racing presented with the same level of legitimacy and recognition as other STEM activities like robotics or hackathons.
The success of this tournament became a springboard for growth. The visuals and messaging were used heavily in outreach to schools, positioning drone racing as an offering on par with esports. With hundreds of views on our tournament VODs and strong engagement beyond the event itself, the campaign carried farther than ever before. The identity gave drone racing a credible, student-centered voice one that honored the excitement of competition while also helping Fenworks expand into new states the following year, making it integral to how we introduced the program to schools and communities.
