Flying Start connects to MarkSetBot robotic racing marks via AIS. As the bots hold position against wind and tide, the start line on every racer's phone updates automatically.
Robotic marks broadcast their GPS position via AIS radio
Shore-based receivers pick up the signal and stream it online
Race officer links bots to PIN and RC ends of the start line
Coordinates sync to every racer's app in real-time
The race officer opens the Start Line view in the RC app. One toggle connects to AIS. Two taps link the MarkSetBot buoys. That's it.
Tap the AIS button in the control bar. The app connects to the global AIS network and scans for nearby Aids to Navigation marks — including MarkSetBot buoys. A teal banner confirms the connection and shows how many marks are detected.
MarkSetBot buoys appear as live markers on the satellite map. Tap SET PIN, then tap the buoy at the pin end. Tap SET RC BOAT, then tap the buoy at the committee boat end. Each linked buoy shows its MMSI identifier and time since last report.
The start line automatically syncs to every racer running Flying Start. As MarkSetBot adjusts position for wind shifts or tide, the line on every phone updates. Distance to Line, Time to Line, and OCS detection all use the live coordinates.
MarkSetBot buoys hold position within 60cm. As wind and tide shift them, the AIS position updates flow through to every racer's DTL and TTL calculations. No stale coordinates.
No more walking the line with a GPS, reading off coordinates, or manually entering lat/lon. Two taps on the map and the line is set for the entire fleet.
When the race officer repositions a mark for a wind shift, the start line updates everywhere. Racers don't need to do anything — the line on their phone just moves.
One race officer sets the line. Every sailor running Flying Start gets it — through Supabase realtime push. No radio callouts, no manual sync, no per-boat setup.
When the start line comes from the race committee, the app locks it so sailors can't accidentally overwrite it. The PIN and RC buttons go green to show it's RC-sourced.
No MarkSetBot? No AIS coverage? The race officer can still place the line manually by tapping the map. AIS is an upgrade, not a dependency.
MarkSetBot buoys broadcast as Aids to Navigation on standard maritime AIS frequencies. Any shore-based AIS receiver within VHF range (~20–40 nautical miles) picks up the signal.
The RC app connects to a global AIS aggregation network via WebSocket, filtered to AtoN messages within a geographic bounding box around the race area. Latency is typically 1–60 seconds.
Each MarkSetBot has a unique MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity). Once the race officer links a MMSI to PIN or RC, every subsequent position report for that MMSI updates the corresponding end of the start line.
Start line coordinates are pushed to the cloud database. All connected sailor apps receive the update via WebSocket subscription — no polling, no delay, no per-boat configuration.
The link status bar shows time since last AIS report. Marks not updated in 5+ minutes turn amber. Marks older than 10 minutes are pruned. The race officer always knows if the data is fresh.
The RC app pulls AIS data over the internet — no physical AIS receiver needed on the committee boat. Just the iPhone the race officer is already running the app on.
MarkSetBot makes autonomous, GPS-guided racing buoys that hold position against wind and tide. A single operator controls up to 7 marks from a smartphone.
Position accuracy
Transit speed
Wind limit
Battery endurance
MarkSetBot is a product of Robobuoy LLC. Flying Start is not affiliated with MarkSetBot — this integration uses the standard AIS broadcast that all MarkSetBot buoys transmit.
Robotic marks that hold position. A start line that updates itself. Every racer's phone showing the same live data. Download Flying Start and try it at your next event.