Updated: 2026.11.10. 09:45|
The boat-tracking system developed by the Digital Development Centre of SZE has been granted utility model protection and has been used in the Kékszalag sailing regatta since 2024. Developed in cooperation with Magyar Telekom and the Hungarian Sailing Association, the technology makes real-time boat tracking possible, supporting race management and spectator information. An application to register the Echosail name and its associated visual elements as trademarks is also underway.
The boat-tracking system developed by the Digital Development Centre of SZE has been granted utility model protection. The University has not only secured intellectual property protection for the development but has also made it available to a corporate partner for commercial exploitation, with the aim of generating revenue. Developed in partnership with Magyar Telekom and the Hungarian Sailing Association, the technology was first presented in 2024 at the 56th Kékszalag Raiffeisen Grand Prix and has been used at this prestigious sailing event on Lake Balaton every year since. The system benefits organisers as well as spectators by providing accurate data on the progress of the fleet.
The palm-sized devices fitted to the boats use satellite positioning to record the yachts’ locations and then transmit the data to an online platform via Magyar Telekom’s mobile network. On track.hunsail.hu, spectators and race management can view the competitors’ positions, speeds, directions of travel and current rankings in real time.
The team behind the innovation included Kristóf Hartmann and Péter Kovács as software developers, Balázs Lukács as project manager, and Gergely Solymossy as hardware developer. (Photo: András Adorján)
Balázs Lukács, Head of ICT Development at the Digital Development Centre of Széchenyi István University, said that several new features had been added to the technology since its introduction in 2024. „From the outset, our aim was to develop a user-friendly, reliable solution that would serve the needs of competitors, organisers and spectators alike. Echosail now does more than simply display the boats’ positions and speeds: it also calculates the remaining distance each yacht has to cover on the water to reach the finish line. This provides a more accurate picture of the current state of the race. It is also possible to replay earlier sections of the race, even while it is still underway,” he explained.
He added that the technology, which is capable of tracking several hundred boats, also supports the work of the organisers and enhances live broadcasts by displaying GPS data. SZE students also took part in the project, gaining experience in developing and using digital applications in practice.
The boat-tracking system has recently been granted utility model protection, safeguarding the technical solution developed by the University against unauthorised use. This may also facilitate the technology’s future commercial exploitation.
The development has become an integral part of the long-established Kékszalag sailing regatta. (Photo: András Adorján)
Dr István Drotár, Head of the Higher Education and Industry Cooperation Centre at SZE, emphasised that obtaining utility model protection was valuable to the University from both a professional and an economic perspective. „The boat-tracking system is a good example of how university developments can be put to practical use directly. Utility model protection safeguards the technical solution we have developed and can create more favourable conditions for its further exploitation. It is important to us that the results of our research and development activities address real needs and create lasting value,” he said.
The Head of the Centre also noted that the registration of the Echosail name and its associated visual elements as trademarks was underway. „While utility model protection safeguards the technical solution, trademark protection can protect the Echosail brand name and visual identity. Our aim is to see the technology used at more sailing competitions in Hungary and internationally in the future,” he stressed. He added that the development, which had already proved its worth at three consecutive editions of the Kékszalag regatta, demonstrated the value of combining university expertise with corporate partnerships. Meanwhile, intellectual property protection could open up new opportunities for the technology to be used more widely.
