Within this Competition Manual are the rules that form Mission 2025 Gravity. They are balanced to promote fair play while encouraging competition. This game is designed to present a challenge, require teamwork, encourage innovation, and be fun. We believe the skills learned and grown in the Aerial Drone Competition will help Students prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.
COMPETITION MANUAL
AERIAL DRONE COMPETITION REC FOUNDATION DRONES.RECF.ORG VERSION 1.0
REC Foundation Permission This Competition Manual is the exclusive intellectual property of Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Inc. (“RECF”). RECF grants you a limited license to use this Competition Manual only in connection with official RECF events. All other uses are expressly prohibited without RECF’s written authorization. You may not modify, copy, prepare derivative works, publicly display, distribute, or remove any copyright or other proprietary notations in this manual. Any use of this manual for commercial purposes without RECF’s permission is strictly prohibited. To request authorization to use this manual for any other purpose, or if you have any questions about the scope of permissible uses, please contact RECF at Drones@recf.org.
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Aerial Drone Competition
Version 1.0
©2024, Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Inc. All rights reserved.
AERIAL DRONE COMPETITION • REC FOUNDATION
Table of Contents 04 Section 1 - Overview 06 The Q&A System
53 Section 6 - Piloting Skills Mission 53 Piloting Skills Mission Overview 54 Piloting Skills Mission Scoring 54 Piloting Skills Mission Rules 57 Section 7 - Communications Mission 57 Overview 57 Awards 58 Specific Communication Mission Rules
07 Quick Guide Reference 10 Updates and Changelog
11 Section 2 - Definitions 11 General Definitions 16 Field Element Definitions 18 Mission Specific Definitions 23 Section 3 -General Competition and Tournament Rules 2 3 General Competition Rules 28 Tournament Rules 30 Section 4 -Teamwork Mission 30 Teamwork Mission Overview 31 Teamwork Mission Scoring 32 Teamwork Mission Scoring Definitions 36 Teamwork Mission Rules
58 Section 8 - Drone Rules
59 Section 9 - Safety Rules
61 Section 10 - Teamwork Field Layout and Measurements
69 Section 11 - Skills Field Layout and Measurement
41 Section 5 - Autonomous Flight Skills Mission 41 Autonomous Flight Skills Mission Overview 42 Autonomous Flight Skills Mission Scoring 42 Autonomous Flight Mission Set up 44 Autonomous Flight Skills Mission Scoring Definitions 49 Autonomous Flight Skills Mission Rules
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Overview
The REC Foundation’s Aerial Drone Competition provides a unique hands-on learning experience, fostering crucial STEM skills including drone piloting, programming, and problem-solving. The competition environment mirrors the real world, requiring teamwork, critical thinking, and innovation to navigate mission challenges. Students learn to collaborate effectively, hone their communication skills, and build the resilience needed to tackle future challenges. This fosters a deep understanding of flight principles, documentation, and interpersonal skills, all while igniting a passion for drone-related careers.
The Aerial Drone Competition has FOUR Missions for Teams to compete in:
Teamwork Mission Two Drone Teams compete as an Alliance in 90-second Matches, working collaboratively to score points on a field approximately 20’x20’. Autonomous Flight Skills Mission A Drone is programmed by Students to operate entirely autonomously earning points to complete tasks. Each Team will have the opportunity to have 2 five minute sessions at the field to complete up to three Autonomous Flight Skills Mission runs each session. Piloting Skills Mission A Drone is Piloted by Students to fly through an obstacle course. Teams compete alone to score as many points as possible by flight through, under and around obstacles. Each Mission is 60 seconds and Teams will have 2 opportunities at each competition. Communications Mission During the Communications Mission, Teams will interview with judges to answer questions about their Team, Drone, programming, and competition logbook documentation.
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Teamwork Mission Field
Skills Missions Field
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The Q&A System When first reviewing the competition manual, it is natural to have questions about situations which may not be immediately clear. Navigating the competition manual and seeking out answers to these questions is an important part of learning the rules. In many cases, the answer may just be in a different place than you first thought. If there is no rule explicitly prohibiting something, then that usually means it is legal! However, if a Team is still unable to find an answer to their question after closely reviewing the relevant rules, then every Team has the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations in the Aerial Drone Competition Question & Answer (Q&A) System. All responses in this Q&A system should be treated as official rulings from the Aerial Drone Competition Game Design Committee, and they represent the correct and official interpretation of the Aerial Drone Competition rules. The Q&A system is the only source besides the competition manual for official rulings and clarifications.
The Aerial Drone Competition Q&A System: recf.org/adc-official-q-and-a
In brief: 1. Read and search the manual before posting. 2. Read and search existing Q&As before posting. 3. Quote the applicable rule from the latest version of the manual in your question. 4. Make a separate post for each question. 5. Use specific and appropriate question titles. 6. Questions will (mostly) be answered in the order they were received. 7. This system is the only source for official rules clarifications.
If there are any conflicts between the competition manual and other supplemental materials, the most current version of the competition manual takes precedence.
Similarly, it can never be assumed that definitions, rules, or other materials from previous seasons apply to the current season. Q&A responses from previous seasons are not considered official rulings for the current season. Any relevant clarifications that are needed should always be re-asked in the current season’s Q&A.
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Quick Reference Guide
Section 3 - General Competition and Tournament Rules <G1> Treat everyone with respect. <G2>
The Aerial Drone Competition is a Student-centered program.
<G3> <G4> <G5> <G6>
Use common sense.
Piloting and Autonomous Flight skills must represent the skill level of the Team.
Drones at the field must be ready to fly.
Flight Team Members are the only Team members allowed at the field.
During a Match, Flight Team Members may retrieve their Drone for troubleshooting if the Drone has not completed take off.
<G7>
<G8> <G9>
Be prepared for field minor variances.
Match replays are allowed, but rare. <G10> No electronic communication devices allowed. <G11> Flight Team Members may not stand on objects. <G12> The Q&A system is an extension of this competition manual. <G13> Only registered Teams may compete in an Aerial Drone Competition. <T1>
The Head Referee has ultimate authority on ruling decisions during the Matches.
<T2> <T3> <T4> <T5>
Head Referees must be qualified.
The Flight Team Members are permitted to immediately appeal the Head Referee’s ruling.
It’s not over until it’s over. Flooring must be the same.
Section 4 - Teamwork Mission
<TM1> Drop Zone Top Cleared. <TM2> Bean Bag on Drop Zone. <TM3> Ball in Scoring Zone. <TM4> Land on Small or Large Landing Cube.
<TM5> Land on a Landing Pad. <TM6> Land on the bullseye. <TM7> Drone starting position. <TM8> Pilot Station.
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Section 4 - Teamwork Mission (continued) <TM9> Visual Observer Station. <TM10> Teams must clearly identify their Team color during a Match. <TM11> Loading Match Load Balls at the Loading Station.
<TM12> Keep balls on the ramp and in the track. <TM13> Only One Drone per Landing Field Element. <TM14>
Qualification Matches will occur according to the official Match schedule.
<TM15> <TM16>
Be at your match on time.
Each Team will be scheduled for at least 4 Qualification Matches.
<TM17> Teams are ranked by their average qualification Match scores. <TM18> The Alliance Selection process forms 2-Team Alliances for the Elimination Matches.
<TM19> Send a Team representative to Alliance Selection. <TM20> Each Team may only be invited once to join an Alliance. <TM21> Number of Alliances for Elimination Matches. <TM22> Elimination Matches are played sequentially in rounds.
Section 5 - Autonomous Flight Skills Mission <AM1> Set up Color Mats. <AM2> Take off. <AM3> Identify the color of a Color Mat. <AM4> Complete a figure 8. <AM5> Fly under Arch Gate. <AM6> Fly through the Small Hole. <AM7> Fly through the Large Hole. <AM8> Fly through the Keyhole Gate. <AM9> Land on Landing Pad. <AM10> Land on Landing Cube. <AM11> Autonomous means “no humans.” <AM12> 5 Minute Timer. <AM13> Drone starting position. <AM14> Pilot Station. <AM15> Visual Observer station.
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Section 5 - Autonomous Flight Skills Mission (continued) <AM16> Resetting a Drone during an Autonomous Flight Skills Match. <AM17> Autonomous Flight Mission Schedule. <AM18> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Mission Skills rankings. <AM19> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Mission Skills scores at leagues. <AM20> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Skills Mission global rankings.
Section 6 - Piloting Skills Mission <PM1> Take off. <PM2> Complete a figure 8.
<PM3> Fly through the Small Hole. <PM4> Fly through the Large Hole. <PM5> Fly through a Keyhole Gate.
<PM6> Land on Landing Pad. <PM7> Land on Landing Cube. <PM8> Flight path. <PM9> Drone starting position. <PM10> Pilot station. <PM11> Visual Observer station. <PM12> Piloting Skills Mission schedule. <PM13> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Skills Mission rankings. <PM14> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Skills Mission scores at leagues. <PM15> Autonomous Flight and Piloting Skills Global rankings.
Section 7 - Communications Mission <C1>
All Teams must receive an interview.
<C2> <C3>
No Team may earn more than one judged award.
Judges must follow the criteria and award descriptions as presented in the Judges Guide.
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Section 8 - Drone Rules <D1>
Teams must use the CoDrone EDU, CoDrone EDU JROTC Edition or Parrot Mambo.
<D2> <D3> <D4> <D5> <D6>
Drones must utilize stock Drone electronics.
Drones must utilize official motors, propellers and frames.
Drones must be running current firmware.
Decorations are allowed. One Drone at the Field.
Section 9 - Safety Rules <S1>
Teams may only fly their drone in a designated Flight Zone. Complete a Pre Flight Checklist before every match.
<S2> <S3> <S4> <S5> <S6> <S7>
Stay in the Pilot station or Visual Observer stations and out of the field during a Match.
Stay in control of your Drone.
Batteries must be charged before launch.
Wear safety glasses.
Students must be accompanied by an adult.
Updates and Changelog This manual may have updates over the course of the season. Each version is official and must be used in official events until the release of the next version, upon which the previous version becomes void. Any updates will be listed below in the Changelog. The latest version of the Competition Manual can always be found in the REC Library Article: Competition Manual & Resources
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Section 2
DEFINITIONS
General Definitions
Adult Anyone who is not a Student.
All Clear A signal given by the Head Referee that Teams may retrieve their Drone.
Alliance A grouping of two (2) Teams that are paired together during a Teamwork Match.
Alliance Captain A Team that has earned the right to choose their Alliance partner during Alliance Selection to play in Elimination Matches. Alliance Partner A Team that is chosen by an Alliance Captain during Alliance Selection to play in an Alliance during Elimination Matches. Alliance Selection The period of a tournament that happens after qualification Matches. During this period, Alliances are created to participate in Elimination Matches.
Autonomous Flight Skills Match A Match in which a single Team with one Drone competes using only pre-programmed commands.
Coach See Mentor.
Co-Pilot A member of the Flight Team who stands in the Pilot station, and who may assist the Pilot and/or operate the Drone during the Match.
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Disqualification A penalty applied to a Team for a rule Violation. A Team that receives a Disqualification in a qualification Match receives zero points for the Match. The other Team in their Alliance will still receive points for the Match. A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Skills Match will receive a score of zero for that Match. When a Team is disqualified in a elimination Match, the entire Alliance is disqualified and both Teams receive zero points for the Match.
Note: At the Head Referee’s discretion, repeated Violations and/or Disqualifications for a single Team may lead to its Disqualification for the entire tournament.
Drone A machine designed to execute one or more tasks autonomously or a controller from a Flight Team Member.
Event Staff See Volunteer.
Event Partner The individual responsponsible for planning and running an Aerial Drone Competition.
Flight Team Member A Student who is a Pilot, Co-Pilot, Programmer or Visual Observer at the field during a Match. Only Students on the team are allowed to be Flight Team Members. Flight Zone An area in which Drones are allowed to fly. All Flight Zones have a virtual ceiling of approximately 10 feet. • The Flight Zone at a Teamwork Mission Competition Field is boarded by the field perimeter. • The Flight Zone at a Skills Mission Competition is identified by the outer edges of the Field Elements. • The Flight Zone at Practice or Testing Areas will be defined by the Event Partner.
Game Design Committee (GDC) The creators of the Aerial Drone Competition Missions and the authors of this competition manual.
Grounding A penalty applied to a Team for a rule Violation. A Team that is grounded is not allowed to operate their Drone for the remainder of the Match. The Pilot will be asked to land their Drone, if the Drone is not already landed, and place their controller on the floor.
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Head Referee An impartial volunteer responsible for enforcing the rules as written. Head Referees are the only individuals who may discuss ruling interpretations or scoring questions with Teams at an event. Match A set time period in which Teams play to earn points. Teams compete in Teamwork, Piloting skills and Autonomous Flight skills Matches. Mentor An adult who facilitates learning and supports a Team. A mentor may not repair, edit, update, or work on the Drone or programming code in any capacity without Students present who are actively engaged/learning.
No-Fly Zone Anywhere in or around a venue that is not a Flight Zone.
Pilot A member of the Flight Team who operates the Drone during the Match.
Programmer A Student on the Team that programs the Drone.
Stock Drone The CoDrone EDU, CoDrone EDU JROTC Edition, or Parrot Mambo.
Student A person is considered a Student if they meet both of the following criteria:
1.A nyone who is earning or has earned credit toward a high school diploma, certificate, or other equivalent after September 1, 2024. Courses earning credits leading up to high school would satisfy this requirement. 2.Anyone born after May 1, 2005. Eligibility may also be granted based on a disability that has delayed education by at least one year. • Middle School Student: A Student born after May 1, 2009 (i.e., who will be 15 or younger in May 2025). An Elementary School Student may compete as a middle school Student.
• High School Student: Any eligible Student that is not a Middle School Student. A Middle School Student may “play up” and compete as a High School Student.
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Team One or more Students make up a Team. • A Team is made up of Pilot(s), Co-Pilot(s), Programmer(s) and Visual Observer(s) and other support members. • A Student may have more than one role on the Team, and can change roles at any time within their own Team. • Teams may be associated with schools, community/youth organizations, or a group of neighborhood Students. • Teams are either considered Middle School or High School. • High School Team: A Team is classified as a High School Team if any of its members are High School Students. • Middle School Team: A Team is classified as a Middle School, if none of its members are High School Students.
Team Representative A Student who represents a Team during Alliance Selection.
Teamwork Match A Match during the Teamwork Mission.
Visual Observer A Student on the Team who helps the Pilot navigate the course and places match loads into the loading zone. Violation The act of breaking a rule in the competition manual. Minor Violation - A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification. • Accidental, momentary, or otherwise non affecting Violations are usually non score affecting Violations. • Minor Violations usually result in a verbal warning from the Head Referee during the Match, which should serve to inform the Team that a rule is being violated before it escalates to a Major Violation. Major Violation - A Violation which results in a Disqualification. • Unless otherwise noted in a rule, all score affecting Violations are Major Violations. • Multiple Minor Violations within a Match or tournament may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
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Score Affecting Violation - A Violation which improves an Alliance’s score at the end of a Match. • Multiple Violations within a Match can cumulatively become Score Affecting. • When evaluating whether a Violation was Score Affecting, Head Referees will focus primarily on any Drone actions that were directly related to the Violation. • Determining whether a Violation was Score Affecting can only be done once the Match is complete and the score has been calculated. Volunteer An individual who is assisting an Event Partner in running an event. Warning A verbal cue given to a Team by a referee to indicate that their actions are in Violation or in danger of being in Violation of a rule.
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Field Element Definitions
Arch Gate A red or blue arched field element. The outer edge of the Arch Gate measures approximately 102” wide and 74” from the floor. The inner edge of the Arch Gate measures approximately 60” wide and 63” from the floor. (Figure 1) Color Mat A red, blue or green vinyl mat Game Element that is approximately 24” x 24”. (Figure 2) Cube A fabric pop up Cube Element. (Figure 3) The top of the large Cube is approximately 17” x 17” and is approximately 20” tall. The top of the small Cube is approximately 12” x 12” and is approximately 13” tall. Field Element Includes Arch Gates, Keyhole Gates, Landing Pads, Cubes, and Screen. (Figure 4) Field Perimeter The PVC boundary of the Teamwork field that acts as the outer boundary of the Flight Zone for Teamwork Matches. Keyhole Gate A yellow or green circular field element. The outer Diameter of the Keyhole Gate is approximately 30”. The inner Diameter of the Keyhole Gate is approximately 24”. (Figure 5)
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 8
Figure 6
Figure 7
Landing Pad A circular field element that is approximately 30” in diameter. The bullseye is approximately 10” in diameter. (Figure 6) Programming Mat A Game Element, specially designed to be placed on sections of the floor to aid in set up and consistent sensor readings during Autonomous Flight Missions. The Mat is approximately 96” x 42”. (Figure 7) Screen A black arched field element. The Screen is approximately 66” tall at the center and 122” at the base. (Figure 8)
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Mission Specific Definitions
Figure 9
Figure 11
Figure 10
Ball A spherical Game Element. The yellow and black Ball diameter is approximately 3.5” and weighs approximately 32 grams. (Figure 9) Bean Bag A square cloth bag filled with plastic beads. The yellow Bean Bag measures approximately 2.5’’ x 2.5” and weighs approximately 7 grams. (Figure 10)
Drop Zone One of seven (7) large scoring objects, each with a pole in the center. (Figure 11) • Drop Zone Top: 6” diameter corrugated plastic circle. • Drop Zone Base: 30” diameter fabric pad with blue and green sections separated by a 4” wide black line. • Drop Zone Pole: 1” diameter PVC and have heights of 12” (3), 18” (2) or 24” (2). Game Elements Includes Balls, Bean Bags, Color Mats, Drop Zones, Panels and Programming Mats. (Figure 12)
Figure 12
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Load The act of legally introducing a Ball into the field.
Loading Station The PVC ramp that is attached to the Track. The Loading Station is intended to receive Balls from a Visual Observer and roll down the ramp into the track. There are two (2) Loading Stations. (Figure 13) Match Load One of Eight (8) Balls that are placed by the Loader onto the Loading Station.
• Three (3) Balls can be loaded at Loading Station #1. • Five (5) Balls can be loaded at Loading Station #2.
Panels
Figure 14
• Solid Panel 30” x 17” panel made of corrugated plastic that is mounted to a Keyhole Gate pole. (Figure 14) • Fly Through Panel A 24” x 36” tri-fold panel made of corrugated plastic with two (2) fly through zones as shown in figure 15. Detailed measurements are shown in Figure 15.
24”
6”
6”
5” 3” 5” 3”
12”
5”
6”
5”
9”
9”
18”
LOADING STATION 1
Figure 15
LOADING STATION 2
Figure 13
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Scoring Zones
Figure 16
Green and Blue Scoring Zones • The 15” x 18” section of the floor bordered by PVC where Balls are scored and counted for Color Match points. The outer edge of the Green and Blue Scoring Zones are defined by the outer edge of the PVC pipe at the opening of each Scoring Zone. There is one Blue Scoring Zone and one Green Scoring Zone as shown in Figure 16.
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Figure 17
Neutral Scoring Zone • The 7’ x 8” section of the floor that is boarded by PVC beyond the yellow Keyhole Gate where Balls are scored during a Match and that is not a Green or Blue Scoring Zone as shown in Figure 16. • The Neutral Scoring Zone begins once the Ball has broken the plane of the edge closest to the scoring zones of the PVC under the yellow Keyhole Gate as shown in Figure 17. The ball (Figure 18) is considered score in the neutral zone since it has broken the plane of the edge closest to the scoring zones.
Figure 18
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Figure 19
Track The PVC-enclosed section of the field in which the Balls travel between the Loading Stations and the Scoring Zones (Figure 19)
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Section 3
AERIAL DRONE COMPETITION • REC FOUNDATION
General Competition and Tournament Rules General Competition Rules
<G1> Treat everyone with respect. All Students and Adults associated with a Team are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and positive manner while participating in the Aerial Drone Competition. If Team members are disrespectful or uncivil to staff, volunteers, or fellow Teams at an event, the Team may be disqualified from their current or upcoming Match. Judges will also consider Team conduct and ethics when determining awards.In all aspects of the Aerial Drone Competition, the Students make the decisions and “do the work” with Adult mentorship. The REC Foundation community prides itself on being a positive learning environment where no one is bullied, harassed, or berated. Teams should avoid placing unnecessary stress upon Students and event volunteers; instead, challenging situations are viewed as teachable moments to model positive behaviors and good sportsmanship. This rule exists alongside the REC Foundation Code of Conduct. Violation of the Code of Conduct can be considered a Violation and can result in Disqualification from a current Match, an upcoming Match, an entire event, or (in extreme cases) an entire competition season. The Code of Conduct can be found at https://www.roboticseducation.org/codeofconduct.
When dealing with difficult and stressful situations, it is…
Okay for Teams to be gracious and supportive when your Alliance Partner makes a mistake.
Not okay for Teams to harass, tease, or be disrespectful to your Alliance Partner when a Match does not go your way.
When a Team does not understand a Match ruling or score, it is…
Okay for Flight Team Members to consult with a Head Referee to discuss a ruling in a calm and respectful manner. Not okay for Flight Team Members to continue arguing with the Head Referee after a decision has been finalized, or for Adults to approach a Head Referee with ruling/ scoring concerns.
When Teams are getting ready for an upcoming Match, it is…
Okay for Teams in an Alliance to develop a game strategy to cooperatively compete. Not okay for one Team in an Alliance to ask another Team to sit in a corner during the Match or to intentionally play beneath their abilities.
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<G2> The Aerial Drone Competition is a Student-centered program. Adults may assist Students in urgent situations, but Adults may never repair or program a Drone without Students on that Team being present and actively participating. Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understanding of their Drone and programming to judges or event staff. Some amount of Adult mentorship, teaching, and/or guidance is an expected and encouraged facet of competitions. No one is born an expert. However, obstacles should always be viewed as teaching opportunities, not tasks for an adult to solve without Students present and actively participating.
When a Drone fails, it is…
Okay for an Adult to help a Student investigate why it failed, so it can be repaired.
Not okay for an Adult to repair the Drone without Students present and actively participating.
When a Team encounters a complex programming concept, it is…
Okay for an Adult to guide a Student through a flowchart to understand its logic.
Not okay for an Adult to write a code for that Student to copy/paste.
During competition, it is…
Okay for an Adult to provide cheerful, positive encouragement as a spectator.
Not okay for an Adult to explicitly shout step-by-step commands or instructions from the audience.
This rule operates in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy, which is available on the REC Foundation website for Teams to reference throughout the season.
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<G3> Use common sense. When reading and applying the rules in this document, please remember that common sense always applies in the Aerial Drone Competition. Some examples may include : • If there is an obvious typographical error, this does not mean that the error should be taken literally until corrected in a future update. • When in doubt, if there is no rule prohibiting an action, it is generally legal. However, if you have to ask whether a given action would violate <S1>, <G1>, or <T1>, then that’s probably a good indication that it is outside the spirit of the competition. • In general, Teams will be given the “benefit of the doubt” in the case of accidental or edge-case rules infractions. However, there is a limit to this allowance, and repeated or strategic infractions will still be penalized. <G4> Piloting and Autonomous Flight skills must represent the skill level of the Team. A Team is made up of Pilot(s), Co-Pilot(s), Programmer(s), Visual Observer(s) and other support members. Students may not fulfill any of these roles for more than one Aerial Drone Competition Team in a given competition season. Students may swap roles or have more than one role on their own Team. 1. Team members may move from one Team to another for non-strategic reasons outside of the Team’s control. a.Examples of permissible moves may include, but are not limited to, illness, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, or combining/splitting Teams. b.Examples of strategic moves in Violation of this rule may include, but are not limited to, one Programmer “switching” Teams in order to write programs for multiple Drones, or one Student Piloting the Drone for multiple Teams. c. If a Student leaves a Team to join another Team, <G4> still applies to the Students remaining on the previous Team. For example, if a Programmer leaves a Team, then that Team’s programming skills must still represent the skill level of the Team without that Programmer. One way to accomplish this would be to ensure that the Programmer teaches or trains a replacement Programmer in their absence. 2. When a Team qualifies for a Championship event, the Students on the Team attending the Championship event are expected to be the same Students on the Team that was awarded the spot. Students can be added as support to the Team, but may not be added as a Flight Team Member.
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a. An exception is allowed if only one (1) member of the Team is able to attend the event. The Team can make a single substitution of a Flight Team Member for the Championship event with another Student, even if that Student has competed on a different Team. This Student will now be on this new Team and may not substitute back to the original Team during the season.
Event Partners should bear in mind rule <G3>, and use common sense when enforcing this rule. It is not the intent to punish a Team who may have a Team member move to another Team due to illness, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, etc. Event Partners and referees are not expected to keep a roster of any Students. This rule is intended to block any instance of loaning or sharing Team members to other Teams for the sole purpose of gaining a competitive advantage. <G5> Drones at the field must be ready to fly. Teams must be prepared when they bring their Drones to the field. For example, Teams must ensure that their batteries are charged and their Drone controller is paired with their Drone before placing the Drone on the field. <G6> Flight Team Members are the only Team members allowed at the field. During a Match, each Team may have up to 3 Flight Team Members at the field and must remain in the identified Pilot and/or Visual Observer stations. <G7> During a Match, Flight Team Members may retrieve their Drone for troubleshooting if the Drone has not completed take off. If the Drone has not taken off, then Students may momentarily reach into the Flight Zone to retrieve their Drone and troubleshoot. Common troubleshooting may include: a.Turning the Drone on or off. b. Plugging in a battery. c. Pairing the Drone to the controller. d. Making a quick repair.
Once ready, the Team should place the Drone back into a legal starting position to re-enter the Match.
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<G8> Be prepared for field minor variances. Field Elements, PVC Field Perimeter and PVC Track placement may vary by ±3”.
The width of the Track, openings to Scoring Zones, and placement of Game Elements may vary by +/-1”.
Note: It is expected that there will be minor variances in field layouts. As long as the field is consistent for every Team at the event, all Teams will have the same opportunity for success.
<G9> Match replays are allowed, but rare. Match replays (i.e., playing a Match over again from its start) are at the discretion of the Event Partner and Head Referee, and will only be issued in the most extreme circumstances. Some examples that may warrant a Match replay are as follows: 1. Score affecting “Field fault” issues. a. Balls not starting in the correct positions. b.Field Elements detaching or moving beyond normal tolerances, not a result of Drone interactions. 2. Score affecting game rule issues. a. A Field is reset before the score is determined. <G10> No electronic communication devices allowed. Flight Team Members may not have/use any sort of electronic communication device in the Pilot Station or Visual Observer station. This includes any device that provides camera or video images. Devices with communication features turned off (e.g., a phone in airplane mode) are allowed.
<G11> Flight Team Members may not stand on objects. Standing on any sort of object (e.g. boxes, step stools, ladders) during a Match is prohibited.
<G12> The Q&A system is an extension of this competition manual. All Teams must adhere to all Aerial Drone Competition rules as they are written and must abide by the stated intent of the rules. Every Team has the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations in the Aerial Drone Competition Question & Answer (Q&A) system. All responses in this Q&A system should be treated as official rulings from the Aerial Drone Competition Game Design Committee, and they represent the correct and official interpretation of the Aerial Drone Competition rules. The Q&A system is the only source for official rulings and clarifications. <G13> Only registered Teams may compete in an Aerial Drone Competition. To participate in an official Aerial Drone Competition event, a Team must be registered at www.robotevents.com.
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Note from the Aerial Drone Competition GDC:
The rules contained in this competition manual are written to be enforced by human Head Referees. Many rules have “black-and-white” criteria that can be easily checked. However, some rulings will rely on a judgment call from this human Head Referee. In these cases, Head Referees will make their calls based on what they and the Scorekeeper Referees saw, what guidance is provided by their official support materials (the competition manual and the Q&A), and most crucially, the context of the Match in question. The Aerial Drone Competition does not have video replay, our fields do not have absolute sensors to count scores, and events do not have the resources for an extensive review conference between each Match. When an ambiguous rule results in a controversial call, there is a natural instinct to wonder what the “right” ruling “should have been,” or what the GDC “would have ruled.” This is ultimately an irrelevant question; our answer is that when a rule specifies “Head Referee’s discretion” (or similar), then the “right” call is the one made by the Head Referee in the moment. The Aerial Drone Competition GDC designs games, and writes rules, with this expectation (constraint) in mind.
GDC GAME DESIGN COMMITTEE recf.org/adc-official-q-and-a
Tournament Rules
<T1> The Head Referee has ultimate authority on ruling decisions during the Matches. 1.Scorekeeper Referees score the Match and may serve as observers or advisers for the Head Referees, but may not determine any rules or infractions directly. 2.Violations of the REC Foundation Code of Conduct may involve additional escalation beyond the Head Referee’s initial ruling, including (but not limited to) investigation by an REC Foundation representative. <G1>, <G2>, and <G4> are the only rules for which this escalation is likely to be required. 3. E vent Partners may not overrule a Head Referee’s decision. 4. E very Match on the Teamwork Mission competition field must be watched by a Head Referee.
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<T2> Head Referees must be qualified. Head Referees must have the following qualifications:
1. Be at least 18 years of age and not a high school Student. 2. Be approved by the Event Partner. 3. Complete Aerial Drone Competition referee training. 4. Possess the following attributes:
a.Thorough knowledge of the current missions and rules of play. b. Effective decision making. c. Attention to detail. d. Ability to work effectively as a member of a team. e. Ability to be confident and assertive when necessary. f. Strong communication and diplomacy skills.
<T3> The Flight Team Members are permitted to immediately appeal the Head Referee’s ruling. If the Flight Team Members wish to dispute a score or ruling, the Pilot and Co-Pilot must stay at the field in the Pilot station until the Head Referee talks with them; the Visual Observer may move to the Pilot station. The Head Referee may choose to meet with the Flight Team Members at another location and/or at a later time so that the Head Referee has time to reference materials or resources to help with the decision. Once the Head Referee announces that their decision has been made final, the issue is over and no more appeals may be made. The Event Partner may not overrule the Head Referee’s decision (see rule <T1>). 1. Head Referees may not review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a score or ruling. 2. H ead Referees are the only people permitted to explain a rule, Disqualification, Violation, warning or other penalty to the Team. Teams should never consult other field personnel, including Scorekeeper Referees, regarding a rule clarification. Communication and conflict resolution skills are an important life skill for Students to practice and learn. In Aerial Drone Competitions, we expect Students to practice proper conflict resolution using the proper chain of command. Violations of this rule may be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or the Code of Conduct. <T4> It’s not over until it’s over. All scoring statuses are evaluated after the Match ends, once all scoring objects on the field come to rest. Pilot inputs and Drone motion are expected to cease when the Match timer reaches 0:00. Any scoring which takes place after the Match due to a Drone continuing to fly will not count. Drones must be landed by 0:00 on the Match clock in order to be considered landed.
<T5> Flooring must be the same.
1. All Teamwork Mission fields must have the same type of flooring. 2. All Autonomous Flight Skills and Piloting Skills Mission fields must have the same type of flooring.
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Section 4
Teamwork Mission
Figure 20
Teamwork Mission Overview Teamwork Matches are played on a field approximately 20’ x 20’, set up as illustrated in figures throughout the competition manual. Two Drone Teams compete as an Alliance in 90-second Matches, working collaboratively to score points. (Figure 20)
The primary objectives of this mission is to clear Drop Zone Tops, position Bean Bags on Drop Zones, move Balls into Scoring Zones, create Color Matches, and Land before the end of the Match.
In the Teamwork Challenge, an Alliance composed of two (2) teams with one (1) Drone each works together to score as many points as possible in a 90 second Match.
Teamwork Matches are played in a tournament style format. Teams will compete in: 1. Qualification Matches – Matches composed of randomly-paired Alliances working together to earn points. 2. Alliance Selection – After Teamwork Matches have concluded, Alliance captains will select their Alliance partner, for Elimination Matches. 3. Elimination Matches – A series of Matches used to determine the Teamwork champions.
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Teamwork Mission Scoring
Drop Zone Top Cleared
1 Point 1 Point 1 Point 1 Point 1 Point 1 Point
Bean Bag on Drop Zone - Green Bean Bag on Drop Zone - Blue Ball in Scoring Zone - Neutral Ball in Scoring Zone - Green
Ball in Scoring Zone - Blue
Number of Balls in Green Scoring Zone x Number Bean Bags on Green Drop Zone x 2 Number of Balls in Blue Scoring Zone x Number Bean Bags on Blue Drop Zone x 2
Color Match - Green
Color Match - Blue
Land on Small Cube or Bullseye 25 points Land on Large Cube or Landing Pad 15 points
Note: The illustrations in this Competition Manual are intended to provide a general visual understanding of the missions. Teams should refer to official field specifications, found in Section 10, for exact field dimensions and exact details of field construction.
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Teamwork Mission Scoring Definitions
<TM1> Drop Zone Top Cleared. A Drop Zone Top is considered cleared when the yellow Bean Bag is not touching the Drop Zone Top.
Examples
Scored
Not Scored
Note: In the unlikely event that a Drop Zone pole is tipped over during a Match, no points will be awarded for that particular Drop Zone.
<TM2> Bean Bag on Drop Zone.
A Bean Bag is considered on Drop Zone - Green when
• The Bean Bag is touching the green section of the Drop Zone Base.
A Bean Bag is considered on Drop Zone - Blue when
• The Bean Bag is touching the blue section of the Drop Zone Base.
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Examples
These Bean Bags are scored for green since it is touching the green section of the Drop Zone Base. Scored for green Scored for green
Not Scored
Not Scored
These Bean Bags are not scored since they are not touching the green or blue section of the Drop Zone Base.
Note: In the unlikely event that a Bean Bag is touching both colors, then the Bean Bag would be considered Neutral and not be scored for Green or Blue.
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<TM3> Ball in Scoring Zone. A Ball is considered scored in the Blue Zone if
• The Ball is partially or fully in the Blue Zone.
A Ball is considered scored in the Green Zone if
• The Ball is partially or fully in the Green Zone. A Ball is considered to be scored in the Neutral Scoring Zone if
• The Ball is partially or fully within the Neutral Scoring Zone. • The Ball is not in the Blue or Green Scoring Zone.
BLUE ZONE
NEUTRAL ZONE
NOT SCORED
GREEN ZONE
Figure 21
<TM4> Land on Small or Large Landing Cube. A Drone is considered to be landed on a Cube if at the end of the Match: 1.The Drone is touching the Cube. 2.The Drone is not touching the floor. 3.The Drone has landed before the Match timer reaches zero.
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<TM5> Land on a Landing Pad. A Drone is considered to be landed on a Landing Pad if at the end of the Match: 1.The Drone is touching the Landing Pad. 2.The Drone is not touching the floor or field perimeter. 3.The Drone is upright. 4.The Drone has landed before the Match timer reaches zero.
<TM6> Land on the bullseye. A Drone is considered landed on the bullseye if at the end of the Match: a.The Drone is landed as per rule <TM5>. b.The Drone is landed in the center ring of the Landing Pad. c.The Drone is not contacting any portion of the Landing Pad beyond the line of the center ring. The line of the ring is considered part of the bullseye.
Note: In cases where a Drone’s position is “too close to call,” Teams will be given the “benefit of the doubt,” and the higher of the two possible scoring statuses should be assigned. Head Referees will not be expected or required to check imperceptibly small measurements.
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Teamwork Mission Rules
Figure 22
<TM7> Drone starting position. At the start of each Match, place the Drone so that it is: a. Contacting the floor inside the field perimeter adjacent to the Pilot station as shown in Figure 22.
b. Within arm’s reach of the Pilot. c. Not touching any Field Elements. d. Not touching another Drone.
<TM8> Pilot Station. During a Match, the Pilot and Co-Pilot must remain in the Pilot station, which is approximately 10 feet long and 2 feet wide as shown in Figure 22. <TM9> Visual Observer Station. During a Match, the Visual Observer must stay in the Visual Observer station, which is approximately 20 feet long and 2 feet wide as shown in Figure 22. <TM10> Teams must clearly identify their Team color during a Match. Teams must change the light on the top of the Drone to red or blue to represent their Team color for the Match.
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Figure 23
<TM11> Loading Match Load Balls at the Loading Station. Match Load Balls may be safely introduced during the Match under certain conditions. For the purpose of this rule, “introduce” refers to the moment when Match Load Balls are no longer in contact with the Visual Observer. 1. M atch Load Balls may only be introduced once the Match has begun. 2.Match Load Balls must be introduced by a Visual Observer placing them gently onto a Loading Station and/or gently pushing down the ramp into the track below. a.The intent of this rule is to permit Teams to impart enough energy on Match Load Balls such that they slide into the track directly in front of the Loading Station. 3.Match Load Balls may only be introduced at the Loading Station they are at the beginning of the Match.
a.There are three (3) balls at Loading Station 1. b.There are five (5) balls at Loading Station 2. 4. O nce the ball has left the Visual Observer’s hands, you may not touch the ball.
5. We recognize Flight Team Members’ hands will momentarily break the plane to place the ball on the ramp. Flight Team Members should be mindful of Drones flying nearby and remove hands as quickly as possible. <TM12> Keep balls on the ramp and in the track. Balls that fall off the ramp or leave the track will not be returned and are out of play for the remainder of the Match.
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<TM13> Only One Drone per Landing Field Element. If two (2) Drones are on the same Small Cube, Large Cube or Landing Pad only one (1) Drone is scored.
Note: If there are two Drones on the Landing Pad and one is in the bullseye, then only the Drone in the bullseye will be scored.
<TM14> Qualification will occur according to the official Match schedule. Qualification Matches follow the Match schedule that is provided to Teams the day of the competition. This schedule will indicate Alliance partners, qualifying Match times, assigned Team/Drone colors, and which field the Match will be played on. The Match schedule is subject to change at the Event Partner’s discretion. <TM15> Be at your match on time. If no member of a Team is present in the Pilot Station at the start of a Match, that Team is considered a “no show” and will receive 0 (zero) points. The other Team in the Alliance will still play and receive points for the match. <TM16> Each Team will be scheduled for at least 4 Qualification Matches. 1.When in a tournament, the tournament must have a minimum of 4 (four) qualifying Matches per Team at local qualifying events and a minimum of 8 (eight) qualifying Matches for a championship event. a. We recommend 6 - 8 Matches for local qualifying tournaments. b. We recommend 10 Matches for a championship event. 2.When in a league, there must be at least 3(three) ranking sessions with at least 1 (one) week between sessions. Each session must have a minimum of 2 (two) qualification Matches per Team. <TM17> Teams are ranked by their average qualification Match scores. 1.W hen in a tournament, every Team will be ranked based on the same number of qualification Matches. 2. W hen in a league, every Team will be ranked based on the number of Matches played. a. Teams that participate in less than 60% of the total Matches available will be ranked below Teams that participate in at least 60% of the total Matches available (e.g., if the league offers 3 (three) ranking sessions with 4 (four) qualification Matches per Team, Teams that participate in 8 or more Matches will be ranked higher than Teams who participate in 7 (seven) or fewer Matches). b. Being a no-show to a Match that a Team is scheduled in still constitutes participation for these calculations. 3. The Team’s lowest Qualification Match score will be excluded from the rankings if the Teamwork Mission has at least 6 Qualifying Matches. a. Excluded scores do not affect participation for leagues.
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