1. Aerial Drone Competition
  2. Competitions
  3. Preparing for a Competition
  4. Communication Mission

Guide to Judging Part 4: Event Preparation and Execution

AerialDroneComp_LogoFinal_2-color REC Hori Drone Logo 1 (3) - Copy.png

Updated August 13, 2025

Overview

Judging preparation should be part of early event planning. Event size, award count, agenda, and volunteer recruitment all impact the process. Clear coordination between the Event Partner, Judge Advisor, and Judges is key to smooth and fair judging.

Judging should conclude on the final day of competition. Remote judging (if used) should occur as close as possible to the event date to ensure evaluations match the teams’ most current strategies, documentation, and performance.

Tasks by Role

Event Partner

Before Event

  • Recruit a qualified Judge Advisor and sufficient Judges well in advance.

  • Confirm required awards are listed on RECFevents.org and procure trophies/certificates.

  • Provide a secure, private Judges’ Room accessible only to judging staff.

  • Supply judging materials (clipboards, pens, rubrics, note sheets, team lists, match schedules).

  • Understand the roles of Judges and Judge Advisor.

Event Day

  • Ensure Judges have needed materials and room access.

  • Communicate schedule changes to Judge Advisor.

  • Do not participate in judged award deliberations or recommend teams for these awards.

  • Oversee award entry in the Competition Portal.

Judge Advisor

Before Event

  • Complete current Judge Advisor/Judge Training & Certification.

  • Have minimal or no conflicts of interest.

  • Review award list with Event Partner; confirm Judge recruitment and attendance.

  • Address potential conflicts of interest among Judges.

  • Prepare judging schedule, logbook collection process, and assign team coverage.

  • Ensure judging staff have official materials (unmodified rubrics, team lists, match schedules).

Event Day

  • Review judging process with Judges; verify logbook submissions.

  • Assign Judge groups and manage conflicts of interest.

  • Balance Judge groups for varied perspectives.

  • Monitor interview schedule and progress.

  • Lead award deliberations and record results.

  • Communicate award winners to Event Partner/Competition Portal operator.

  • Print award scripts.

  • Maintain confidentiality and ensure judging materials are collected and destroyed after the event.

  • Return Competition Logbooks to teams, if applicable.

Judge

Before Event

  • Review game video and description to understand competition missions.

  • Disclose any conflicts of interest to Judge Advisor.

  • Be familiar with official judging materials and award descriptions.

  • Complete Judge Training & Certification (required for Regional Championships; encouraged for local events).

Event Day

  • Evaluate logbooks, interview teams, and/or observe matches as assigned.

  • Work in pairs when interacting with students.

  • Deliberate with other Judges under Judge Advisor guidance.

  • Hand in all notes and rubrics to Judge Advisor.

  • Maintain confidentiality and provide only positive encouragement to teams during interviews.

Typical In-Person Event Timeline

The chart below is an example of how the in-person judging process might operate in parallel with the rest of the competition schedule in a typical one-day event.

If Remote Judging is done, Competition Logbook evaluations and/or initial Team Interviews will be done before the event. See the Guide to Judging Part 10: Remote Judging for more details.

 

Typical In-Person Event Timeline

All In-Person Judging
TIME EVENT ACTIVITY TEAMS JUDGES/JUDGE ADVISOR
Early Morning CHECK-IN Teams check in upon arrival, submit Competition Logbooks, and go through inspection. Once inspected, teams may begin Skills Challenge Matches. Judge Orientation/Begin Interviews Judges organized into groups and assigned to interview teams. Interviews can begin as soon as there are Judges assigned to groups, and any questions about the process have been addressed by the Judge Advisor. Competition Logbooks can also start being evaluated at this time.
INSPECTION
Morning

OPENING CEREMONIES /

EVENT MEETING



 Teams attend and ask questions at Event Meeting.
QUALIFICATION MATCHES Teams are scheduled into Qualification Matches Teams will be interviewed during breaks between their matches.
Lunch Break LUNCH BREAK If event is running behind, teams may run matches through this time. Working Lunch discussion. Each pair of Judges can begin to select their top picks for awards. Competition Logbooks can also be reviewed at this time.
Early Afternoon QUALIFICATION MATCHES Teams continue Qualification Matches. Finish Judging Interviews & begin final deliberations. Judge Advisor should collect the final Skills Challenge and Qualification Rankings reports, as well as any field notes to Judges. If additional interviews are needed, they should be done before qualification matches conclude.
Afternoon ALLIANCE SELECTION / ALLIANCE PAIRINGS Teams participate in alliance selections  Final Deliberations. Teams should not be interviewed during this time; decisions should be made with the data at hand. Once all awards are decided, Judge Advisor takes them to the Event Partner to be added to the Competition Portal. Any Competition Logbooks should be returned to teams.
End of Day ELIMINATION/FINALS MATCHES Teams play in Finals/receive awards. Some events may intersperse awards with finals matches, others may have an awards ceremony afterwards.
AWARDS / CLOSING CEREMONIES Judge Advisor collects and destroys notes and rubrics, & clears the judging room of any identifying info. Judges may be asked to read award scripts, present awards, or just be visible for teams. Event Partner should plan this beforehand.

Continue to the next section, Guide to Judging Part 5: Awards