The Competition Manual
Mission 2027: Coming August 11, 2026
The Competition Manual for the Aerial Drone Competition serves as the official guide for all participants. It outlines the rules, procedures, safety guidelines, scoring system, and expectations that govern the event. Its purpose is to ensure fairness, consistency, preparedness, and safety for everyone involved.
Within the Competition Manual, you will find:
- General Tournament Rules
- Drone Rules and Requirements
- Safety Rules
- Mission Rules, Definitions, and Scoring
- Award Descriptions
- Definitions of Field and Game Elements
- Field Setup and Specifications
The Q&A System
Aerial Drone Competition Q&A
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 answers to these questions
is an important part of learning the rules. In many cases, the answer may 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 thoroughly reviewing the
relevant rules, they may submit their query to the Aerial Drone Competition Question & Answer (Q&A)
System for an official rules interpretation.
All responses in the 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.
Previous Seasons
To view manuals and videos from previous season, visit our Aerial Drone Competition History Page.