From Internal Cross-Training to Industry Event: The History of the Tough Stump Rodeo (TSR)

The Tough Stump Rodeo (TSR) didn’t start as a major industry event; it started as a problem that needed solving.

In the summer of 2019, Tough Stump CEO Fish recognized a critical gap: team members needed real, hands-on experience with all three of the company’s core technologies; mapping drones, ATAK solutions, and quad-copter UAVs. The solution: book a range in Texas, fly the whole team out, and put the technology to the test in a live operational environment.

Building a Real-World Operational Picture with ARTEMIS and ATAK

The Texas event was seen as more than a demo – it was a full-scale integration exercise. The team used ARTEMIS to map the training area, then ingested that data directly into ATAK to create a shared operational picture (COP). A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) was established using data radios and mesh systems, stress-testing communications in a fully disconnected environment.

Fish monitored everything from the command center via WinTAK, pulling in live UAV feeds, real-time team positioning, and communications data simultaneously. The results proved what Tough Stump had long believed: integrated drone and ATAK technology delivers a decisive advantage in the field.

Taking TSR to Montana, and Opening the Doors

Following the Texas success, Tough Stump took the concept north to Montana, with key support from Bill Wood. This time, select partner companies were invited to participate and word spread fast. What began with just four organizations has since scaled to a field exercise featuring more than 40 participating companies.

The Tough Stump Rodeo is now one of the most unique multi-vendor drone and ATAK integration events in the country, bringing together operators, developers, and integrators to test cutting-edge unmanned systems and tactical communication technology in real-world conditions.

[→ Check out the After-Action Report from the original Texas event to see where it all began!]

[→ Learn more about the Tough Stump Rodeo here]