Official Q&A: Aerial Drone Competition 2024-2025

• Each team is given two 5-minute sessions for the Autonomous Flight Skills Mission at an event.
• During each 5-minute session, a team is allowed to do up to 3 Autonomous Skills Matches, and each Autonomous Skills Match is scored separately (teams can have up to 6 Autonomous Skills Matches scored at each competition).
• Teams must roll the die and change the Color Mat in between each Autonomous Skills Match (up to 3 times per session, once before each Autonomous Skills Match during the 5-minute session).
• For each Autonomous Skills Match, a team is allowed to reset their drone on the 2nd Color Mat and scoring continues. Teams can take off from Color Mat 1, complete tasks, earn points, then take off from Color Mat 2, complete additional tasks, earn additional points and then the Autonomous Skills Match is over and final score is entered.
• Teams can do this 3 times during each session; each Autonomous Skills Match is scored SEPARATELY
• In Tournament Manager, an Autonomous Skills Match may be referred to as a “Run”

Example of a 5 minute session for the Autonomous Flight Skills Mission

1. Team arrives and checks in with referee.
2. Referee confirms team number and enters it into tablet (or writes on paper score sheet).
3. The team sets up their computer and connects their controller and drone (we recommend having a table near the field for this so students do not need to be on the floor).
4. Referee confirms team is ready to begin the Autonomous Flight Skills Match.
5. Start 5-minute Autonomous Flight Skills Mission timer.
6. Team rolls the die and set ups the Color Mats per the manual.
7. Team sets their drone on Color Mat 1 and runs their program from the computer.
8. Drone completes tasks and referee scores completed tasks.
9. After landing/crashing during a match, the team may reset their drone one time on Color Mat 2 (rule <AM16>).
10. Upon handling the Drone, it must immediately be brought to Color Mat 2.
11. Flight Team Members may position the Drone as desired on Color Mat 2.
12. The Programmer may then start the Drone again from their computer, using pre-written programming instructions as stated in rule <AM11>.
13. Drone completes additional tasks for the Autonomous Skills Match.
14. The referee continues to score completed tasks after reset.
15. Drone lands or crashes, or the program is ended.
16. The referee confirms the Autonomous Skills Match score with the team and submits the score for that Autonomous Skills Match.
17. The team may modify their code for the next Autonomous Flight Skills Match.
18. Teams can complete 2 more Autonomous Flight Skills Matches by repeating tasks 6 - 16 during their 5 minute session. Each Autonomous Flight Skills Match is scored separately.

Additional Questions & Answers

Q. What if the team is not planning to use the Color Mats, do they still need to roll the die and set up the mats?

• A. YES

Q. Are teams required to do the reset and also start on Color Mat 2?

• A. No, some teams may only have one set of code from Color Mat 1. Resetting/continuing on Color Mat 2 is optional. If a team decides not to reset their drone onto Color Mat 2, then the Autonomous Skills Match will be considered complete after landing/crashing the drone.

Q. If the team only does 2 Autonomous Skills Matches during their 5-minute session is that okay?

• A. Yes, teams may choose to use their 5-minute session how they best see fit. They may complete up to 3 Autonomous Skills Matches, but they are not required to do so.

Q. If the timer hits 0 in the middle of an Autonomous Skills Match, how do we score that Match?

• A. Once the timer hits 0, all actions must stop and the referee scores the actions that occurred before the Match timer reached 0.