Overview
A typical event consists of several different activities that may overlap during the day. These activities include:
- Team check-in
- Pit area set up
- Inspection
- Event Meeting (Opening Ceremony)
- Qualifying Teamwork matches
- Judging: Competition Logbooks and Interviews
- Skills matches: Piloting and Autonomous
- Alliance selection
- Elimination matches
- Awards ceremony (Closing Ceremony)
Team Check-in
First Stop, Team check-in! This is a designated area where coaches will inform the Check-in Volunteer Staff that their team has arrived. At team check-in, the coach will receive any pertinent information that may include an inspection sheet, agenda, and/or venue map.
Be sure that all team participants’ parents or guardians have either completed the Participant Release Form online or have completed a paper consent form prior to the event. More information on participant release forms is available in this article.
The Event Partner can verify receipt of the digital Participant Release Forms from the admin view of the event in the right-side menu in RobotEvents.com. A downloadable CSV file with a list of completed consent forms is available in the Consent Forms event page.
Coaches must present any paper copies of the consent forms at Team Check-in. Links to REC Foundation Participation Release Forms are available here.
Helpful Hints for Team Check-in
- All teams must be accompanied by an adult. The adult must be present during Team Check-in.
- Have extra copies of the RECF Participation Release Forms available for anyone who did not complete the release form online.
- If the event will be collecting physical Competition Logbooks, provide a container for check-in volunteer staff to collect them and a way for them to note which teams have submitted logbooks.
- Pro Tip: Have a pre-sorted check-in packet for each team that includes the documents they will need throughout the day. You may choose to sort them alphabetically or numerically to make the process quick and easy. Teams that have not picked up their packets should be confirmed as not being in attendance prior to being removed from the tournament listing and prior to running match schedules.
Team Pit Area
Teams will be assigned a workspace (Pit) at the event. The “Pits” may be in the same room as the competition or in an area nearby. Each team will typically be provided with a table and chairs, as well as access to electricity to use for battery charging.
Team Pit Areas will be labeled with a sign displaying the Team Number. These signs can be printed from the Tournament Manager Software. Pits should be arranged in numerical order.
Helpful Hints for Pit Area
- Ideally, each team will be supplied with a multi-outlet strip at their pit table for battery/laptop charging. If this is not possible, then a “charging station” should be created. Also provide tape, stickers, and Sharpies for teams to be able to label their items.
- Larger (Championship) events may have pipe and drape or canopies defining each team’s pit space and allow teams to decorate. Be sure to communicate this in the event description on Robotevents.com and in email communications to teams prior to the event.
Inspection
When a team arrives at a tournament, they must go through a flight clearance inspection to confirm teams and equipment are in compliance with regulations. What is legal or not is defined within the Competition Manual and summarized on the Flight Clearance Inspection Form. Inspections usually take about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of inspection stations you have set up.
Note: New for Mission 2025 - Inspectors are not expected to inspect every drone that is brought to the competition but rather, confirm verbally with the teams all drones are in compliance with the rules. A Flight Team member will sign the Flight Clearance Inspection Form to confirm agreement.
Helpful Hints for Inspection
- The same tables can be used for inspection stations and then used as queuing areas. Assign your queue managers and experienced scorekeeper referees to this position. This is a quick and easy position that will be completed prior to the start of qualification matches.
Event Meeting (Opening Ceremony)
An event meeting is typically run by the Head Referee and/or the EP. All participants including students, coaches and other adults associated with the team are expected to attend. In this meeting, safety, rules, and behavioral expectations will be reviewed. Suggested topics can be found on the Event Meeting Announcements.
Helpful Hints for Event Meetings
- This can be as formal or informal as you would like.
- Have everyone meet in the main competition area and close any practice areas or other activities that might distract from the focus of the meeting.
- Use this time to introduce your key volunteers/sponsors, review expectations of the day, review the schedule, and review the REC Foundation Code of Conduct.
- Additional Opening Ceremony activities could include a guest speaker, introduction of teams, and open Q&A.
Judging
Judges work as a team in a private area to review student logbooks and determine winners of judged awards under the guidance of an experienced Judge Advisor. Pairs/groups of judges interview student teams in their pits during the competition day.
Helpful Hints for Judging
- Judges will need to be present the entire day.
- Volunteer judges who are aviation/drone industry professionals are preferred, but great judges can be found from all walks of life. Make every effort to recruit judges who are not affiliated with participating teams. The Judge Advisor will ensure that any judges who have team connections will not be involved in judging their own teams and will abstain from any deliberations that involve their own teams.
- It is better to have too many judges than not enough. This allows judges to be able to conduct a thorough assessment of the Competition logbooks and conduct team interviews without being rushed.
Matches
Teams compete in Teamwork , Autonomous Flight and Piloting Skills matches during an event to showcase their abilities. The types of matches are described in detail below.
Practice Matches
Practice matches on the Teamwork and Skills Mission fields are optional. They can be scheduled or unscheduled. This provides an opportunity for training scorekeeper referees and to allow teams to test field conditions. Practice matches do not count towards team rankings. Some events may elect to provide a dedicated practice field or drone testing area that teams may use during the day.
Teamwork Mission Matches, Alliances & Elimination Matches
- Qualification Matches: Each Qualification Match is played on the 20’X20’ field, is 90 seconds long, and consists of two teams (randomly paired) operating as an alliance to score points. Teams will play in a predetermined number of qualifying matches. At the conclusion of the Qualification Matches, teams will be ranked based on their Qualification Match performance.
- Alliance Selections: During the Alliance Selection process, top ranked teams will have priority in choosing the team they would like to play with in the Finals Matches. Details of the Alliance Selection process may be found in the Teamwork Mission section of the Competition Manual.
- Finals Matches: The number of teams participating in the Finals Matches is found in the Teamwork Mission Section of the Competition Manual and is determined by the number of teams at the event. Each alliance will play one match, with the highest scores advancing to the next bracket of finals play until a Champion is determined. In the event of a tie, information on the tie breaking process can be found in the Teamwork Mission section of the Competition Manual.
Autonomous Flight Skills Mission
Events have dedicated fields set up for teams to complete Skills Challenge matches on a first-come, first served basis.
In the Autonomous Flight Skills Mission, Drones are programmed by Students to operate entirely autonomously. Each Team will be given the opportunity to have 2 five minute sessions at the field to complete their Autonomous Flight Skills Mission. The highest score attained during the 5 minute session will be recorded..
Teams will be ranked based on the combined Autonomous Flight Skills Mission and Piloting Skills Mission score. The Team with the top combined score will be the Skills Missions Champion at that event.
The Autonomous Flight Mission section of the Competition Manual includes information on how a team's scores are calculated.
Piloting Skills Mission
Events have dedicated fields set up for teams to complete Skills Challenge matches on a first-come, first served basis.
In the Piloting Skills Mission, the Drone is Piloted by Students to fly through an obstacle course. Teams compete alone to score as many points as possible by flying through, under, and around obstacles. Each mission is 60 seconds and Teams will have 2 opportunities at each competition.
Teams will be ranked based on combined autonomous flight skills mission and Piloting skills mission score. The Team with the top combined score will be the skills champion at that event.
The Piloting Skills Mission section of the Competition Manual includes information on how a team's scores are calculated.
Awards Ceremony (Closing Ceremony)
Events conclude with the distribution of awards to teams in the main competition area. Teams can earn Judged Awards and Performance Awards at most events. Event Partners work with the REC Foundation RSM to determine what awards can be offered at each event. The awards and their qualification status are on the Awards tab of the event at Robotevents.com.
Helpful Hints for Award Ceremony
- Create a Trophy/Award table display.
- Plan for an area for winning teams to take team photos with their awards.
- Recognize and thank your volunteers/sponsors.
- Recognize and congratulate veteran teams, first year teams, and teams competing in their first event.
- Recognize and congratulate seniors and the graduating class
- Award scripts are available in the Tournament Manager Software. Use the Awards Slides in the TM software during the awards ceremony.
- Invite the Judges to present the Judged Awards.
- Invite the Head Referee, Emcee, or scorekeeper referees to present the Performance Awards.
Updated August 8, 2024