FAA Rules and Navigation
This category assesses a team's foundational knowledge of drone safety regulations and their ability to execute core flight maneuvers with precision and control. Points are awarded for both demonstrating knowledge and successfully completing flight tasks in the competition arena.
Total Possible Navigation Score: 20 Points
| Category | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| FAA Knowledge Test | 4 Points |
| Basic Flight: Hover & Land | 4 Points |
| Basic Flight: Horizontal Travel | 4 Points |
| Advanced Flight: Obstacle Course | 8 Points |
| Total | 20 Points |
FAA Knowledge Test (4 Points)
This test is administered verbally in the "pit" area right before a team's flight time. Questions are derived from the FAA's Rules for Recreational Flyers.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 1 Point per Question | For each of the four questions answered correctly. |
Hover & Land (4 Points)
This task demonstrates basic vertical control and stability.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 4 Points (Pass) | The drone takes off, flies to an altitude of approximately 3 meters, hovers for at least 3 seconds, and lands safely back within the designated launch/land area. |
| 0 Points (Fail) | The team is unable to complete all parts of the maneuver successfully. |
Horizontal Travel (4 Points)
This task demonstrates controlled horizontal movement.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 4 Points (Pass) | The drone takes off, flies to an altitude of approximately 3 meters, travels horizontally to a designated target, and returns to land safely in the launch/land area. |
| 0 Points (Fail) | The team is unable to complete all parts of the maneuver successfully. |
Obstacle (8 Points)
This task demonstrates advanced control and spatial awareness.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 8 Points (Pass) | The drone successfully navigates through a designated obstacle (e.g., a gate or hoop) and returns to land safely in the launch/land area. |
| 0 Points (Fail) | The team is unable to complete the maneuver successfully. |
Penalties and Clarifications
- Teams may make multiple attempts to complete each navigation task within their allotted flight time, but points for each task can only be awarded once. A judge will notify the team when a task is successfully completed.
- Crash Penalty (-5 Points): A "crash" is any event that requires human assistance to return the drone to a flyable state (e.g., caught in a net, flipped over, broken propeller). This penalty is applied once per match. Rough landings that do not require human intervention do not count as a crash.
The crash penalty is subtracted from the team's total score for this category. For example, a team that earns 16 points but crashes once will have a final navigation score of 13.