Help Us Bring Fair Line Calls to Pickleball with Low-Cost LiDAR Tech

We are a group of senior engineering students at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working on our capstone project in Engineering Design & Development. Our dream? To turn our classroom prototype into a real startup that brings fair, affordable, and automatic line calls to pickleball courts everywhere..

We’re developing a LiDAR-based system that can accurately call whether a ball is in or out—first for pickleball, and eventually for other racket sports. Our goal is simple: make the game more fair, less frustrating, and more fun for everyone.

We’re asking for your support to help us fund parts, sensors, processors, housing, testing equipment, and early manufacturing so we can bring this idea to life beyond the classroom.

The Problem: “In or Out?” Shouldn’t Ruin the Game

Pickleball is exploding in popularity—over 13.6 million players in 2023, with the market projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2034. But with that growth comes one of the sport’s biggest frustrations: line calls.

Research:

Through our research, surveys, and interviews with players and officials, we found:

Over 80% of players reported being frustrated by questionable line calls.

Disputes happen constantly because of bad viewing angles, fast ball speeds, and simple human error.

Existing tech solutions (like advanced camera systems and AI apps) are:

Too expensive for most players and local facilities

Too complex to set up

Often not portable and not reliable in real-world lighting and weather

Fair line calls shouldn’t just be for pro tours and TV matches. Recreational players, local clubs, and community courts deserve that fairness too.

Our Solution: An Affordable LiDAR Line-Calling System

Our team is building a portable, LiDAR-based device that sits near the lines and uses laser distance sensing to detect whether the ball lands in or out, based on official pickleball rules.

From our engineering proposal, our system is being designed to:

1. Be affordable

2. Target cost under $100 for recreational players

3. A more advanced version under $1000 for clubs and tournaments

4. Set up in under 3 minutes – no special training required

5. Deliver a call within 1 second of the ball landing

6. Reach at least 95–97% accuracy in testing

7. Be weather-resistant and durable for outdoor courts

8. Stay compact and lightweight, fitting into a backpack or small case

9. Comply with USA Pickleball (USAP) regulations, so it can be used in both rec play and competitive settings

Unlike expensive camera systems, our device uses simple, robust hardware and smart software to give clear, unbiased, real-time calls—no replay review, no subscription, no fancy setup.

Why We Believe This Will Work:

We didn’t just guess what players want—we asked them and interviewed experts:

We surveyed dozens of pickleball players and found that:

A huge majority are frustrated with line calls.

The top priorities are portability, ease of setup, and trustworthy accuracy.

We interviewed:

A tournament organizer who confirmed that disputes over line calls happen in every tournament.

Certified referees who explained how difficult it is to judge a ball the size of a dime at high speed, especially from bad angles.

A professional camera replay operator who shared how complex and fragile current camera-based systems are—they use multiple cameras, high frame rates, lots of wiring, and still struggle with certain calls.

Their message was clear:

We need something simpler, more portable, and more accessible that still respects official rules and improves fairness.

That’s exactly what we’re building.

What Your Donation Will Help Fund

Your support will directly fuel our engineering and startup journey. Funds will go toward:

LiDAR sensors and electronics (distance sensors, microcontrollers, processors, power systems)

Prototyping materials for weather-resistant housings and mounts

Testing equipment to validate accuracy on real courts in different lighting and weather conditions

Software development for signal processing and decision algorithms

User interface design (visual and/or audio indicators that players can easily understand)

Pilot testing at local pickleball facilities and tournaments in South Florida

Every dollar helps us move from school project → working product → real-world solution.

Our Vision: Fairness and Justice in Every Match

Our mission goes beyond just cool tech. We care about fairness, justice, and community in sports.

We’ve seen friendships strained and games ruined over close calls that no one could clearly see. With our LiDAR line-calling system, our goal is to:

Reduce arguments and tension on the court

Give players confidence that the game is being called fairly and consistently

Make high-quality line-calling technology accessible, not just reserved for pros

Eventually expand the system to other sports like tennis, badminton, and more

We’re just a group of high school senior engineers, but we’re serious about making an impact—starting with the sport we love.

How You Can Help

If you’ve ever:

Played a match that was decided by a sketchy line call

Watched a close point and thought, “I wish we had a robot to detect if the ball was in or out.”

Wanted to support young engineers building real solutions to real problems

…then this project is for you.

Please consider donating and sharing our GoFundMe with:

Pickleball friends, Local clubs, Coaches, players, and community centers

No amount is too small. Every contribution brings us closer to creating a fair, affordable, LiDAR-based line-calling system that could change the way pickleball—and eventually other sports—are played.

Thank you for believing in us and in a more just and joyful game.