Event welcomes competitors from across the globe to family-friendly robotics event centered around autonomous land and air vehicles.

Boulder, Colo. May 29, 2013

On June 8, 2013, SparkFun Electronics (http://www.sparkfun.com) will host its fifth annual Autonomous Vehicle Competition (AVC). Each year, the AVC invites teams from all over the world to participate in a cutthroat race of home-built ground and aerial vehicles. This year is the first time the event will not take place at SparkFun headquarters, as it has outgrown the company's space. This year, the AVC will take place at the Boulder Reservoir.

This new location opens up the competition to new obstacles and course layouts, which should make for an even more competitive, entertaining event. The AVC is SparkFun's signature event, which celebrates ingenuity, inventiveness and good-natured robotic competition. This year's AVC includes a record-breaking 87 registered teams and is shaping up to be the largest race to date.

"The AVC is a great event because it invites our customers and other fans of robotics to try their hand at building an autonomous vehicle on their own," said SparkFun Engineering Project Manager Chris Taylor. "It's something we look forward to every year."

The family-friendly event is free to spectators and promises to be a great summer day full of camaraderie, robotics and fun. In addition to the competition, there will be prizes, local food vendors (The Giggling Greek, Jam's Place, and Top of the Hill Grill) and other entertainment.

To read the competition rules, sign up as a spectator, or to learn more about the SparkFun AVC, please visit (http://avc.sparkfun.com).

About SparkFun Electronics

Founded in 2003, SparkFun shares its passion by providing parts, knowledge, and innovation for those looking to explore the world of embedded electronics. It helps anyone discover their inner inventor and enables individuals to create their own electronics projects.

SparkFun currently offers more than 1,800 products, ranging from simple components, like capacitors and resistors, to GPS units and Bluetooth modules. The company employs 140 people and is based in Boulder, Colorado.

Find SparkFun on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo and Google+.