Prior to the on-site competition, teams are required to develop and submit the following design documents via an online portal. Instructions on how to submit deliverables and deadlines can be found in Section 1.4: Competition Schedule and Timeline. On-site at the competition, teams may be given the optional opportunity to present their design.

1. Proof of Flight Readiness Video

2. Technical Design Report

3. Team Website

Teams must submit a proof of flight video covering their flight readiness prior to the competition. This video will be reviewed to determine whether teams and their aircraft are eligible to fly at competition. If teams are deemed ineligible to fly, their aircraft will not be permitted to fly at competition. Teams who are ineligible to fly are still invited to send representatives to attend the competition. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis during the window defined in , with being determined by order of successfully qualified submission.

2.1.1 Deliverable Requirements

The submitted video presentation must meet the following requirements:

• Video must be conducted in English or include subtitles in English.

• Video must be no more than ten (10) minutes in length.

• Video must include school/organization and team name at the beginning.

• Video must include all required content, outlined in the next section.

• Videos must be hosted by team. Teams have the choice of hosting on YouTube, Vimeo, or on their Team Website. The video must follow YouTube , including appropriate music copyright management.

2.1.2 Introduction

This section must include a visual and verbal identification of the School and Team name. Visuals of the entire development team and competition team must also be shown (no verbal identification of team members is required).

2.1.3 Safety, Risks, and Mitigations

This section should describe the potential safety risks and the steps taken to mitigate them. It should include risks during the development process and during the mission.

2.1.4 Manual Proof of Flight

This section must show manual flight of the UAS with the following characteristics. This section must be repeated for each instance of the aircraft (e.g. primary and backup), and every Safety Pilot that may be used at competition. The video must be formatted as shown and include the following elements:

1. Manual Takeoff to Above 50ft AGL

2. Manual Flight to/from Point > 1000ft from Safety Pilot

3. Manual Landing

2.1.5 Autonomous Proof of Flight

This section must show autonomous flight of the UAS with the following characteristics. This section must be repeated for each instance of the aircraft (e.g. primary and backup), and every Safety Pilot that may be used at competition. The video must be formatted as shown and include the following elements:

1. Manual/Autonomous Takeoff to Above 50ft AGL

2. Transition to Autonomous Mode with Autonomous Flight Showing...

   1. Flight of 3+ Miles at Full Loaded Weight in a Single Flight

   2. Fly Waypoints with a Max Error of 50'

   3. Turn Radius of <= 150' w/ Ability to Meet Maximum Angle of Climb/Descent of 20 Degrees

Teams are required to submit a website in English that documents their team, vehicle design, and competition approach.

2.3.1 Deliverable Requirements

1. Website Content: Layout and detailed contents of the website are left for the teams to develop; however, the team website must include:

   • Current team name and contact information

   • Vehicle photos and/or videos

   • Supporting media, which may include:

     • Instructional/Informative videos

     • Procedures (text, images)

     • Design decision documentation (text, images, videos)

     • Blogs for historical records of build progress

   • List of sponsors with logos

2. Website Quality: Websites are often the first impression of a project. Potential supporters such as supervisors, sponsors, or advisors must find the website visually appealing and easy to navigate. Development of the website should include careful consideration of user experience, including:

   • Written in English, or English translation provided

   • Clear prioritization of key content

   • Site search functionality

   • Basic design elements: contrast, repetition, alignment and grouping to organize/highlight content

   • User accessibility, as defined by the

   • Cross browser compatibility for modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, MS Edge)

   • A mobile friendly display

2.3.2 Scoring Metrics

The website submission is worth a total of 100 points. The scoring metrics include a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

Team Information (20% of score)

Vehicle Design Documentation (40% of score)

Website Quality (40% of score)

1.1 Dates & Venue

The 2025 SUAS Competition (SUAS 2025) will be conducted June 24-26, 2025, at St. Mary’s County Regional Airport in California, MD.

1.2 Competition Structure

SUAS 2025 includes the that exhibits flight performance and safety and that presents each team’s work and UAS design.

1.3 Eligibility

Student teams from anywhere in the world are eligible to participate. Teams may enter one aircraft in the competition.

1.3.1 Eligibility Details & Team Composition

• Teams must be comprised of 75% or more full-time students. Student members are expected to make significant contributions to the engineering development cycle of their UAS.

• The majority of team members must be college or high school students. Teams may also include middle school students. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

• Teams may be comprised of 25% or less alumni, industry, academic or government partners.

• A minimum of two (2) team members are required for safe operations on-site at SUAS: Safety Pilot and GCS Operator.

• A maximum of six (6) are allowed on the flight line during the team's mission.

1.4 Competition Schedule

1.5 Points of Contact

1.6 RoboNation Code of Conduct

All team members must abide by the RoboNation Code of Conduct while participating in the Competition. Failure to abide by this Code of Conduct at any point during the competition season may result in the disqualification of the team and/or participants from the Competition, components of the competition, the full competition, and/or future competitions.

1. Give your best effort. Display honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship while engaging in friendly competition. Compete fairly. Team products are solely the creation of student participants’ own efforts, ideas, and designs with supporting mentors providing only verbal advice.

2. Respect others. All participants and guests will display courtesy and respect toward officials, volunteers, other teams, and guests of the Competition.

3. Act with integrity. All participants and guests will behave in a responsible manner and follow the rules of the competition and host organization.

4. Support each other. All participants will embody the spirit of RoboNation and endeavor to engage with, learn from, and support one another.

3.0.1 Flight Performance Requirements

The following are minimum requirements for UAS flight performance to participate in the Mission Demonstration:

• Fly at least 3 miles at fully loaded weight in a single flight.

• Fly waypoints with a max error of 50ft, and the threshold must be configured in the autopilot.

• Turn radius of 150ft and be able to stay within the Mission Flight Boundary.

• Angle of climb and angle of descent of 20 degrees.

• Stay above 50ft AGL when more than 200ft away from the runway.

• Able to takeoff and land in runway approximately 70ft by 500ft.

3.0.2 Runways for VTOL and HTOL

To support multiple teams flying at the same time, there will be two independent runways performing missions simultaneously. Each runway is capable of supporting both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and horizontal takeoff and landing (HTOL) aircraft. The runways are paved asphalt and will be approximately 70ft by 500ft. Teams may also use the grass sections adjacent to their assigned runways for takeoff and landing, on the opposite side from the tents, so long as flight paths don’t intersect the other runways or the flight line tents.

3.0.3 Airfield Notes

Airfield GPS coordinates are 38.31633, -76.55578. Airfield elevation is 142ft MSL. Airfield magnetic variation is 11 degrees west. The runway is a paved asphalt surface roughly 70ft wide with no height obstacles. Grass areas within the takeoff/landing area will not be prepared but will be available for use

The airfield and flight boundary includes areas which contain trees that may be taller than 50ft AGL. The Maryland record for tree height is ~140ft (182ft MSL at the airfield). Teams should consider this when setting waypoints over trees.

The following are a series of GPS points which form a polygon that is the mission flight boundary (shown via red line in photo). The UAS must remain within this polygon and the altitude restrictions of [50ft AGL (192ft MSL), 400ft AGL (542ft MSL)]. The UAS may only go below 50ft AGL when taking off or landing, but must not go below 50ft AGL when over one of the other runways occupied by other teams. The UAS is out of bounds if it’s outside of the polygon or the altitude restrictions, at which point the mission will be terminated.

• 38.317297, -76.556176

• 38.315948, -76.556573

• 38.315467, -76.553762

• 38.314709, -76.549363

• 38.314241, -76.546627

• 38.313698, -76.543423

• 38.313310, -76.541096

• 38.315299, -76.540521

• 38.315876, -76.543613

• 38.318616, -76.545385

• 38.318626, -76.552061

• 38.317034, -76.552447

• 38.316742, -76.552945

3.0.4 Ground Control Station Requirements

Teams must have a display, always viewable by the judges, which presents a map showing the flight boundaries, the UAS position, and all other competition elements. This display must indicate the UAS speed in KIAS or ground speed in knots, and MSL altitude in feet. Teams will not be able to fly without this display. If during the mission the judges are unable to see this display, the team's UAS will be required to return to land.

3.0.5 Flight Order of Team Demonstrations

The flight order will be determined by order of successfully qualified Proof of Flight Readiness Video submission. A live flight order will be available on the SUAS website as videos are approved.

The organizers will attempt to fly as many teams as possible, but if time runs out (e.g. due to weather delays, emergency airport traffic) the teams who were last to successfully qualify with their proof of flight will not have the opportunity to fly. As time allows, teams will be given the opportunity to fly again for a second chance in the same flight order. The better of the two demonstrations will count.

3.0.6 Judges

The lead judge stands with the Safety Pilot. The Ground Control Station (GCS) judge sits with the GCS Operator and must have continuous uninterrupted access to a GCS display meeting the GCS Display Requirements.

3.0.7 Order of Tasking

Teams must successfully takeoff and climb above 50ft AGL (192ft MSL) within the first 10 minutes of the mission clock, or the demonstration will be terminated. Upon every takeoff, teams must immediately fly a waypoint lap before attempting other tasks, thereby simulating the trip to the operation area. After the waypoint lap, teams may decide the order of all other tasks.

3.0.8 Termination and Disqualification

Breaking the rules, risking safety, and accumulating too many penalties may cause mission termination and may cause disqualification.

UAS must be able to fly missions in a restricted time scenario. This involves setting up the UAS, flying the mission, and tearing down within provided time limits.

3.1.1 Setup Time (15 Minutes)

Teams will be provided at least 15 minutes for setup. At setup time teams will receive all other mission details (such as waypoints) from the judges by paper printout. GPS positions will be given in UTM decimal degrees, and altitudes in feet AGL and MSL. The last 5 minutes of the setup time must include the pre-mission brief. This brief must include a summary of planned tasks, identification of Safety Pilot and GCS Operator, and other information judges should know. Once the judges determine the airspace is available and the setup time has elapsed, the judges will start the Mission Time regardless of team readiness.

3.1.2 Mission Time (30 Minutes)

Teams will be provided 30 minutes to complete the mission. Mission time stops once the UAS has landed, the UAS has cleared the runway, and the team relinquishes the airspace. No additional points will given for ending the mission early, but exceeding the 30 minute mission time will result in large Excess Time penalties.

3.1.3 Tear Down Time (10 Minutes)

Teams will be provided 10 minutes to remove all equipment from the flight line tent area.

3.1.4 Timeout (10 Minutes)

A team is allowed one timeout to stop the mission clock, which will cost them the points described in Penalties. The timeout must be taken prior to the UAS capturing its first waypoint and will last at least ten minutes.

3.1.5 Air Traffic or Weather Mission Pause

In the event that traffic enters the mission airspace or weather becomes unsafe for flight, the mission will be paused at the point the team is notified and the UAS will be required to return to land until the traffic clears the airspace. Teams will be given a penalty-free timeout of at least 5 minutes during which they are permitted to refuel but not otherwise modify the UAS, load additional payloads, or process data. Once the airspace is clear the UAS will takeoff, return to the position at which the mission was interrupted, and then the mission will resume from that point.

UAS that can fly autonomously are cheaper to operate, which means organizations can leverage more UAS at the same cost, which means better performance and more missions. Autonomy also keeps the UAS airborne during connectivity loss, a very likely occurrence in real world environments.

3.2.1 Takeoff and Landing

Takeoff and landing may be performed autonomously or manually - with additional points given for UAS capable of fully autonomous takeoffs and landings.

A takeoff is considered successful once the UAS is above 50ft AGL and has travelled outside of the immediate airspace surrounding the runway. A landing is considered successful if the UAS touches down without any damage to the UAS and surrounding environment.

In order for a takeoff and landing to be considered fully autonomous, only a singular command can be issued by the Safety Pilot or GCS Operator to commence the respective action. Any intervention past a singular button press or command will be up the the judge's discretion and may result in the takeoff/landing attempt being viewed as not autonomous.

3.2.2 Waypoints

Teams will be given a sequence of waypoints (UTM coordinates and altitudes) that must be flown autonomously and the UAS must get within 50ft of each waypoint. This sequence of waypoints represents a singular lap, may be up to 3 miles in length, and include up to 15 positions. Upon every takeoff, teams must immediately fly a singular lap of the waypoint path before attempting other tasks to simulate navigating to the operating area. A full lap must be re-flown between each air drop attempt, simulating trips between operating areas. Teams may opt to land at any point to reload payloads (no refueling allowed), so long that the UAS navigates through an entire waypoint lap after each subsequent takeoff. Four full waypoint laps will be required to conduct all five deliveries, thus the total waypoint distance flown by the UAS may be up to 12 miles.

An example of a mission flow that conducts four air drops with an intermediary landing for reload would be as follows:

• Takeoff

• Fly Waypoint Lap (Up to 3 Miles)

• Conduct Air Drop

• Fly Waypoint Lap (Up to 3 Miles)

• Conduct Air Drop

• Land to Re-Load Payloads

• Takeoff

• Fly Waypoint Lap (Up to 3 Miles)

• Conduct Air Drop

• Fly Waypoint Lap (Up to 3 Miles)

• Conduct Air Drop

• Land

• Remove UAS from Runway Relinquish Airspace

3.2.3 Autonomous Flight Scoring

A maximum of 50 points will be given out for Autonomous Flight. 20 points will given to UAS that takeoff and land at least once (manual or autonomous) - with an additional of 30 points given if all takeoff/landings throughout the Mission Demonstration are done fully autonomously

Operational excellence will be graded by the judges as a subjective measure of team performance. This will evaluate things like operation professionalism, communication between members, reaction to system failures, attention to safety, and more.

3.7.1 Operational Excellence Scoring

A sliding score from 0 to 50 points will be given to each team for Operational Excellence based on the above metrics.

Each team is required to submit a Technical Design Report (TDR) that describes the team’s design principles and competition priorities. The report should address the rationale for which autonomy challenge tasks have been chosen to attempt and how this competition strategy influenced the design decisions for the airframe and subsystems. Teams must follow the TDR instructions provided below. To be eligible for full points, teams must submit their TDR by the deadline found in Section 1.4: Competition Schedule and Timeline.

A strong TDR provides a coherent narrative and addresses the elements of the rubric as much as possible, including citing references used. The competition strategy justifies the choices of autonomy challenge tasks and design decisions that trace back to those task choices. The report also identifies which software tools allow the team to accomplish the tasks chosen.

The technical design report is worth a total of 150 points. The outline of each content section includes a scoring weight with guidance for scoring considerations that are provided to the judges during evaluations.

2.2.1 Deliverable Requirements

The content of the written paper shall include the following sections:

• Abstract

• Acknowledgements

• Competition Strategy

• Design Strategy

• Testing Strategy

• References

• Appendix A: Test Plan & Results (Optional)

The format of the written paper shall adhere to the following guidelines:

• 6 page limit (excluding References and Appendices)

• 8.5 x 11 in. page size

• Margins ≥ 0.8 in.

• Font: Times New Roman 12pt

• Header on every page including team name and page number

• Submitted in .pdf format

Optional Formatting: Teams may choose to follow the two-column format, editorial style for IEEE Conference Proceedings: www.ieee.org/conferences/publishing/templates.html.

Formatting Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.2.2 Abstract

The abstract is a short summary of the main points in the paper. The abstract should summarize the linkage between overall competition strategy and system architecture, design, and engineering decisions.

Abstract Scoring Metrics (10% of score)

2.2.3 Acknowledgments

Participating in the competition, as in all research projects, involves leveraging resources and support beyond the efforts of individual team members. This support can take many forms such as technical advice, labor, equipment, facilities, and monetary contributions. Acknowledging those who have supported efforts is important.

Acknowledgements Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.2.4 Competition Strategy

The paper must include details on the team’s strategy for the competition, including the plans for approaching the tasks and how the vehicle design relates to this approach. The mission consists of multiple tasks with associated points for accomplished behaviors. The more tasks a vehicle is designed and engineered to accomplish, the more complex the overall vehicle system will be.

Discuss the team's strategy on trade-offs between system complexity and reliability. For example, teams have a limited number of working hours to prepare for the competition; this time could be spent adding additional capabilities or testing and improving the reliability of an existing capability. As system complexity grows, changes in subsystems can propagate in unmanageable ways when time is limited. Based on history and the system engineering talents of the team, include a description the team’s strategic vision.

Competition Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.2.5 Design Strategy

Given the strategy for success at the competition and the approach to managing complexity, the paper must include a description of the system design to meet the goals they established for the competition. Justification for design choices should be clear. Discuss how components and subsystems were selected and integrated on the vehicle. For teams that are working with a previously designed vehicle, discuss how the design meets the current competition strategy and any modifications needed at the component, subsystem, and/or integrated system levels. Describe the experience in making both architectural/design decisions and system engineering decisions.

This section should not include detailed component descriptions and/or specifications not of original design.

Design Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.2.6 Testing Strategy

Testing and experimentation is a crucial step to preparing and innovating a system design that strongly correlates with a competitive performance in the arena. The paper must include the approach to a testing strategy, including various test plans, both physically and in simulation.

Discuss considerations of the time needed to thoroughly test to meet the determined goals and the demands of design and engineering with those of testing and experimentation.

Testing Strategy Scoring Metrics (25% of score)

2.2.7 References

As with any technical publication, original ideas and content not generated by the paper’s authors should be properly cited. The references should follow the IEEE Conference Proceedings citation style.

References Scoring Metrics (5% of score)

2.2.8 Test Plan & Results (Optional Appendix)

Based off the testing approach outlined in the paper, this appendix showcases the test plan that was developed and the detailed results that came out of testing. Teams should present their plans for testing, including algorithm testing in a virtual environment, component testing in a laboratory setting, subsystem testing in a relevant environment, and full system testing in a pseudo-competition environment. Test set up should be included and results presented. Any design modifications or changes in competition strategy as a result of testing should be discussed.

While this appendix is not required, excellence seen in this section can be eligible for a special judges’ award.

The appendix may include detailed documentation covering the following areas:

• Scope: Objectives and test cases (this may also specify what was not included in tests)

• Schedule: Start/end dates and deadlines

• Resource and Tools: Resources and tools needed to conduct tests and assess results

• Environment: Description of the test environment, configurations, and availability

• Risk Management: Outline potential risks that could occur throughout testing

• Results: Detailed outcomes of test cases

Welcome to the frontlines of innovation at the 2025 SUAS Competition!

This Team Handbook contains information that teams need to compete at the 2025 Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) Competition. It includes task descriptions, rules, requirements, and other guidance and specifications. Teams are encouraged to read this document for a thorough understanding of what is necessary to compete effectively.

What is SUAS?

SUAS is an international student program established to generate, cultivate, and enhance a community of innovators capable of making substantive contributions to the Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) domain. The vision is achieved by providing a venue and mechanism, whereby practitioners of robotics and uncrewed autonomy come together at the SUAS Competition to share knowledge, innovate, and collaboratively advance the technology of aerial systems. Teams must also document their designs as described in this Team Handbook.

Why SUAS?

The SUAS program is designed to foster interest in UAS, stimulate interest innovation in UAS technologies and careers, and to engage students in a challenging mission. The competition requires students to design, integrate, report on, and demonstrate a UAS capable of autonomous flight and navigation, remote sensing via onboard payload sensors, and execution of a specific set of tasks. The competition has been held annually since 2002.

Why compete in SUAS?

Participants of SUAS may expect to:

• Increase technical proficiency;

• Establish valuable professional connections; and

• Enjoy the satisfaction of learning and collaborating while advancing the technology of UAS.

The nominal winners are those teams that have scored the most points. The real winners are all those participants who have learned something lasting about working together to create an autonomous system that accomplished a challenging mission in a complex environment.

Table of Contents

The UAS's dependency on human intervention is measured by the number of operators from the competition team that are needed to run the mission demonstration. Up to six operators will be allowed. The team must have at least two operators, a Safety Pilot and a GCS Operator who are dedicated to manual flight override and autopilot operation respectively. The Safety Pilot and GCS Operator cannot perform any other tasks while their UAS is in flight. If the Safety Pilot or GCS Operator performs other tasks during UAS flight, the team's mission will be terminated.

Team members who don’t have an operator role can only assist with setup, teardown, and during a timeout. During the mission they must stand to the side, not communicate or assist the operators, and observe only. Teams must decide ahead of the mission who is an operator and who is an observer, these assignments cannot be changed once the mission starts, and must communicate the assignments to the judges ahead of the mission.

3.3.2 Operators Scoring

The Operators task will be scored via the following equation - where O signifies the number of operators used. As shown, a maximum of 200 points will be given for this task.

UAS should be able to create imagery maps of an area of interest (example shown below). Teams will have to generate an image which covers a larger area and at a higher resolution than typically possible with a single photograph. The area of interest is defined in and is approximately 10 acres in size. Teams must submit the map via USB within their . Maps received outside of the will receive no points.

3.5.1 Mapping Boundary

The following series of GPS points form a quadrilateral polygon that represent the Mapping Boundary specified for each runway. Please refer to for a view of the Mapping Boundaries on Google Maps.

Runway 1:

• 38.314816, -76.548947

• 38.315460, -76.552653

• 38.316639, -76.55233

• 38.316016, -76.54860

Runway 2:

• 38.314669, -76.547987

• 38.315873, -76.547611

• 38.315208, -76.54384

• 38.314008, -76.544237

3.5.2 Mapping Scoring

A sliding score of 0 to 100 points will be given based on the submitted map's quality. Maps will be evaluated for coverage, projection accuracy, stitching, and other quality signals. A high quality map will be indiscernible from a professional-quality map seen on services like Google Maps. A medium quality map will have noticeable defects like minor stitch errors, varying exposures, minor missing coverage, and other minor issues, but won’t detract from use as a map. A map of insufficient quality will receive no points for the mapping task.

Designing a UAS to be lightweight and compact for transport is critical for ease of deployment, especially in remote or difficult-to-access areas. A smaller, lighter UAS reduces logistical challenges, enabling quicker mobilization, reduced transportation costs, and enhanced operational flexibility for various missions.

3.4.1 UAS All Up Weight

The maximum allowed all up weight of the team's UAS with all onboard is 45 LBs. This is inclusive all batteries, payloads, and systems that will be onboard the UAS in its maximum takeoff weight state during its mission demonstration. Max points will be given to UAS with an all up weight of 15 LBs or less.

3.4.2 UAS Volume

UAS should be designed so that can be disassembled/collapsed down to a state more compact than their in-flight state. Three sizing tiers will be used to score the UAS's ability to be transported in various common luggage sizes.

• Personal Item (18 x 14 x 8 in)

• Carry-On (22 x 14 x 9 in)

• Check In (27 x 21 x 14 in)

Teams will be given up to five minutes to demonstrate their ability to unpack their UAS from a fully collapsed state to an in-flight state with motors and surface controls operating. Up to four personnel can be used for the unpacking process. If a team is unable to complete this process within the allotted time period or personnel restriction, they will not achieve any points related to this task.

3.4.3 Easy to Transport Batteries

UAS that are outfitted with batteries that are all <100 Wh in power capacity will receive additional points. There is no limit to the number of batteries that a UAS can be outfitted with. Each individually packaged battery onboard the UAS must be below the 100 Wh limit for this task.

3.4.4 Design for Transport Scoring

The Design for Transport task will be scored during the Safety Inspection via the following rubric. As shown, a maximum of 200 points will be given for this task.

UAS should be able to air drop a payload to an object of interest. As with all other mission elements, the UAS must remain above the 50’ AGL minimum altitude fence while conducting air drop.

Teams will be given four air drop objects at . Each air drop object will be a w/ 3 AAA batteries installed. The objects weigh approximately 155g and will be labeled with an identifier for the team. An STL and pictures of the air drop object can be found for download .

UAS may carry multiple air drop object at the same time, or they can land to pick up payloads. The UAS must refly a full waypoint lap before performing another air drop, regardless of whether the UAS lands or not.

Judges may be in the to score the drops, and the ground may be marked to identify the 25ft drop target radius. The objects marking drop targets may be temporarily occluded while judges evaluate drops from another team and clear any debris.

3.6.1 Air Drop Boundary

The following series of GPS points form a quadrilateral polygon that represent the Air Drop Boundary specified for each runway. Each runway's Air Drop Boundary will include the objects (same for both runways).. Please refer to for a view of the Air Drop Boundaries on Google Maps.

Runway 1:

• 38.315386, -76.550875

• 38.315683, -76.552586

• 38.315895, -76.552519

• 38.315607, -76.550800

Runway 2:

• 38.314529, -76.545859

• 38.314731, -76.545792

• 38.314441, -76.544081

• 38.314228, -76.544156

3.6.2 Delivery Requirements

An attempted delivery is classified by any payload that is released by the UAS in flight, with no dependency on the success of the attempted delivery.

Each independent air drop payload must be no heavier than 2lbs and must not contain any ability to sustain flight (propulsion, propellers, etc.). The air drop payload must land undamaged and must be safe for humans to be present in the drop area. The payload must be safe to retrieve and safe to handle. Payloads that are delivered in freefall, with no form of retardant mechanism, will not be deemed successful. If the UAS were to drop multiple payloads at once, only the first dropped payload will be scored appropriately.

Judges must be able to safely and easily retrieve and separate the air drop object from the air drop payload to verify that it’s undamaged. Separation must not require tools or any instructions. If the judge is unable to separate the air drop object, then the drop will not count.

3.6.3 Object Detection, Classification, and Localization (ODCL)

• Person/Mannequin

• Car (>1:8 Scale Model)

• Motorcycle (>1:8 Scale Model)

• Airplane (>3m Wing Span Scale Model)

• Bus (>1:8 Scale Model)

• Boat (>1:8 Scale Model)

• Stop Sign (Flat, Upwards Facing)

• Snowboard

• Umbrella

• Sports Ball (Regulation Size Soccer Ball, Basketball, Volleyball, or Football)

• Baseball Bat

• Bed/Mattress (> Twin Size)

• Tennis Racket

• Suitcase

• Skis

3.6.4 Object Detection & Air Drop Scoring

Each of the four air drops will given points as follows - with a maximum points of 100 drops per air drop:

• Air Drop Payload Survives (Within Vicinity of Air Drop Boundary) = 20 Points

• Air Drop Payload Lands within 25' of Object = 50 Points

• Air Drop Payload Delivered to Unique Object = 30 Points

Any air drop payloads that are delivered without the UAS conducting a waypoint lap will not be counted and thus given 0 points.

Scores are calculated by the judges' evaluation and observation. All decisions of the judges are final.

4.1 Scoring Tables

4.2 Awards

5.1. Rules

5.2. Safety Requirements

5.3. Vehicle Requirements

The team will be penalized as follows throughout the mission demonstration. Penalties are defined as a percentage of achievable component points. Unlike points, penalties do not have a bound. This means going over the allowed time can cost the team full points for mission demonstration. If penalties are greater than points, the team will receive a zero for demonstration. Teams cannot score points while generating a penalty.

3.8.1 Excess Time (0.5% Per Second)

The team will receive a penalty equal to 0.5% of mission demonstration points for every second of mission time over limits.

3.8.2 Timeout (5% of Mission)

The team will receive a penalty equal to 5% of mission demonstration points for utilizing their timeout.

3.8.3 Things Fall Off Aircraft (10% Per Item)

If parts fall off the UAS during flight, teams receive a penalty equal to 10% of demonstration points.

3.8.4 Crash/Collison (50% Per Crash/Collision)

If the UAS crashes during flight or collides with another team's UAS, the team will receive a penalty equal to 50% of demonstration points. If a team is in their runway’s dedicated airspace, then they will not receive a penalty for the collision, and only the offending team will receive a penalty.

3.8.5 Unsafe Operations (50% Per Infraction)

If the UAS or team conducts unsafe flight operations and the team does not respond correctly the commands by the judges (manual takeover, kill switch, etc.), the team will received a penalty equal to 50% of demonstration points.

3.8.6 Out of Bounds (Mission Termination)

Teams are given a flight boundary in the Mission Flight Boundary. If the UAS goes out of these bounds then the mission will be terminated and the UAS will be required to immediately return to land. Teams will be evaluated by human observers and by judges at the GCS.

3.8.7 Manual Takeover (Restart Lap)

With exception to takeoff or landing, the aircraft must fly the rest of the mission autonomously. Any transition to manual flight will require the UAS to return to the start of the waypoint lap (at a minimum). If the UAS lands and takes off again, the UAS must fly the waypoint path again before attempting other tasks.

4.2.1 Mission Demonstration Ranking

Teams are awarded prize money reflective of their mission demonstration ranking after scores are calculated. The first-place teams receive a RoboNation champion banner.

4.2.2 Design Documentation Ranking

Teams are awarded prize money reflective of their design documentation ranking after scores are calculated.

4.2.3 Special Awards

Throughout the competition, teams, judges, and staff are asked to be on the lookout for exemplary behavior from teams to acknowledge with special awards. A digital nomination form will be shared on-site to nominate teams for the following special awards:

• Dawn Jaeger Tenacity Award - teams who have overcome adversity.

• Dr. Arthur Reyes Safety Award - teams going above and beyond in the name of safety.

• JustJoe Sportsmanship Award - teams going above and beyond in the name of fair and generous treatment of others.

• Most Innovative Award - teams with the most technically innovative systems, approaches, etc.

4.2.4 Payment Timeline

Award delivery will be coordinated with teams and issued within 4-6 weeks of the end of competition.

1. All team members must abide by the RoboNation Code of Conduct while participating in the Competition. Failure to abide by this Code of Conduct at any point during the competition season may result in the disqualification of the team and/or participants from the Competition, components of the competition, the full competition, and/or future competitions. (RoboNation Code of Conduct)

2. Teams must build at least one UAS to compete and only enter one vehicle design in the competition. (UAS Requirements)

3. Teams that arrive at the competition failing to meet the vehicle requirements will not be permitted to fly, until the vehicle is modified to meet all requirements. (UAS Requirements)

4. The UAS must be battery-powered. No fuels or exotic batteries are allowed. (UAS Requirements)

5. Teams must be comprised of 75% or more full-time students. (Eligibility)

6. One student member of the team must be designated as the “team lead”. The team lead must be conversationally fluent in English. The team lead, and only the team lead, will speak for the team during the mission demonstration.

7. Teams must have at least one representative present for the team orientation. Teams who miss orientation will not be permitted to deploy their UAS. (Competition Schedule)

8. Prior to transport to the runway for the mission demonstration, teams must successfully pass the required safety inspection of their UAS and ground station. (Safety Inspection)

9. The UAS must stay within the mission flight boundary at all times during the mission demonstration, clearly outlined in this handbook. (Mission Flight Boundary)

10. A flight will be terminated if the UAS interferes with flight path of other UAS or goes out of bounds of the mission flight boundary. (Mission Flight Boundary)

11. All Radio Frequency (RF) communications must comply with FCC regulations. Teams found intentionally jamming or interfering with another team’s communications will be considered cheating. (Safety Requirements)

12. If weather and environmental conditions are deemed unsafe, SUAS organizers will temporarily suspend the competition. Teams must be prepared to secure all equipment against sudden weather like wind and rain. In the event of lightning, teams will be asked to return to their vehicles in the parking lot until the lightning has passed. (UAS Requirements)

13. SUAS organizers are not responsible for any damage to a team’s UAS as a consequence of participating in the competition.

14. All decisions of the judges are final. (Scoring & Awards)

4.1.1 Design Documentation Scoring

4.1.2 Mission Demonstration Scoring

The following is a list of minimal requirements for a vehicle to be permitted flight at competition. Teams that arrive at the competition failing to meet the vehicle requirements will not be permitted to fly, until the vehicle is modified to meet all requirements.

5.3.1. Autonomy

UAS should operate with some level of autonomy with the ability for manual safety pilot takeoff at any time.

5.3.2. UAS Weight

The maximum all up flying weight of the UAS should be 45 LBs or lower. This will be verified during safety inspections. The UAS must also be capable of heavier-than-air fligth and be free flying without any ground encumbrances like tethers.

5.3.3. FAA Compliance

The UAS used at competition must be registered using the FAADroneZone, the certificate must be presented at safety inspection and at the flight line, and an external surface of the vehicle must be labeled with the registration number.

The UAS must also comply with FAA Remote Identification for Drone Pilots (Remote ID). At a minimum, the Remote ID broadcast must include a unique ID for the vehicle and the vehicle position.

The Safety Pilot must complete The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and present the certificate of completion at safety inspection and at the flight line.

5.3.4. Single Design and Backup Instances

Exactly one design can be used throughout the competition. Teams are locked into a specific design upon submission of the Proof of Flight Readiness Video. The team may use backup instances of that design during development. The team must use exactly one instance during the Mission Demonstration.

5.3.5. Ground Based Equipment

No antenna masts, balloons, or other objects taller than 15ft will be permitted. No ground based imaging sensors can be used as a replacement for the UAS's imaging payload.

The safety functionality must be operated using onsite systems with no dependency on any system not under the team’s full control. For example, safety critical functionality cannot have a dependency on the public internet or public cloud providers. Safety critical functionality includes, but is not limited to, return to land and flight termination, manual piloting by the Safety Pilot, commanding the autopilot by the GCS Operator, and failsafe for the air drop.

5.3.6. Fuel and Battery Restrictions

All UAS must be battery electrically powered (non-fuel based). Exotic batteries will not be allowed. Any option deemed by the organizers as high risk will be denied. All batteries must be brightly colored for easy identification in a crash, and it is preferred if they are wrapped in bright colored tape. Batteries must also be located on the UAS so that they can be easily removed/added without any vehicle deconstructions (e.g. batteries cannot be embedded into the UAS airframe).

More information detailed in Battery/Fuel Guidelines.

5.3.7. Obstacle Avoidance

The ability to avoid obstacles is a core capability for uncrewed systems. Due to the operation of multiple UAS within the same airspace, teams must prepare their systems to avoid other teams' UAS. Up to two UAS will be operating in the airspace at the same time. Both teams will be given a radio to conduct communications between each other to minimize the chance of collision. The operations at the competition will not actively put teams in a situation that causes UAS to be on a known collision path.

5.3.8. Return to Home and Flight Termination Failsafes

The UAS must have either autonomous return to home (RTH) or return to land (RTL), and autonomous flight termination. Either the Safety Pilot or the GCS Operator must be able to activate both. See Safety Inspection for a detailed description of all required failsafes.

5.3.9. No Foreign Objet Debris (FOD)

No pieces may depart from the aircraft while in flight, except for the components involved in air drop while attempting that task. Foreign object debris (FOD), like nuts and bolts, must be cleared from the operating area before mission flight time stops.

5.3.10. No Personnel Near Prop Arc When Powered

Personnel must be clear of the propeller arc whenever the motors have the ability to receive power. For example, if the batteries powering the electric motor are connected, personnel are not allowed to be near the prop arc. Software based disarm is not sufficient. Propeller power must be disconnected in order to physically work on the UAS. Teams violating this safety rule may be disqualified.

5.3.11. Weather and Environmental Factors

The vehicle must be able to operate in any winds experienced at the airfield. Average wind speeds in California, MD in June is ~8 mph, and the record high is 24.2 mph. Vehicles must be able to operate in temperatures up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Teams will not have to operate during precipitation, but they must be prepared to quickly secure their equipment from sudden precipitation. Fog conditions are acceptable if there is at least 2 miles of visibility.

5.3.12. Allowed RF Communications

All Radio Frequency (RF) communications must comply with FCC regulations. Any bands allowed by FCC regulations may be used at competition. Judges use 462 MHz for handheld radios.

The judges will not provide any RF spectrum management. This means that any device can be used in any of the allowed bands at any time. This includes both the flight line and the pits. Teams are encouraged to use hardwired connections when possible. Where possible, teams should use encryption, directional antennas, and RF filters. Each team should expect other teams to be using similar equipment (e.g. same autopilot), and teams must ensure they don’t allow invalid connections (e.g. connecting to another team’s autopilot). Where possible, teams should use frequency hopping or dynamic channel selection. The judges reserve the right to institute RF management if necessary, but teams may not rely on such.

Teams found intentionally jamming or interfering with another team’s communications will be considered cheating.

Safe operations are a priority for the SUAS organizers. All considerations to maintain safety for operators and the surrounding environment must be made. These guidelines are the minimum requirements for all teams and their vehicles during the competition.

• Local Safety Requirements: UAS power systems must follow the safety rules and regulations of the host country as well as the team’s home country.

• Operations Suspended: SUAS staff may suspend team operations at any time for safety considerations. The staff is not required to advise the team prior to the decision to terminate the run attempt. In all matters of safety, the decisions of the SUAS staff are final.

• Safety Material: Teams must have available personal protective equipment (PPE) (tools, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, etc.), safety risk mitigation (training, checklists, radios, etc.) and equipment to support rapid response to accidents (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.) as needed.

5.2.1. Safety Inspections

Before taking flight, all UAS must pass a safety inspection. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. A Safety Inspector completes a safety checklist, verifying successful operation of all safety features.

2. Teams demonstrate compliance with all the requirements, to include all required FAA documentation.

Refer to Safety Inspection for the criteria for the safety inspections

5.2.2. Battery and Fuel Guidelines

Teams are required to understand and follow battery/fuel safety best practices based on the battery/fuel chemistry selected by the team. For questions or assistance, please contact Cheri Koch at ckoch@robonation.org / 850-642-0536.

Batteries

All batteries can become a hazard if not handled properly. Lithium-ion chemistry batteries may become damaged and create a hazard if misused/abused, representing the greatest risk to people, facilities, and the environment. The following safety rules and requirements must be followed:

1. Teams must submit battery specifications, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and proper disposal procedures, sourced from the battery manufacturer for all batteries.

2. Teams must keep a hard copy of the battery safety documentation for all batteries on-site at all times.

3. Teams must bring a LiPo safe bag(s) adequate for the lithium batteries used.

4. Each team must understand and follow their own country’s regulations as well as those of the host nation.

5. All batteries must be stored, used, and maintained in accordance with manufacturer guidelines.

6. Teams are required to inspect their batteries daily for signs of swelling, heat, leaking, venting, burning or any other irregularities. Lithium batteries that become too warm during use or have become swollen or malformed must be removed from use and reported to the Technical Director or RoboNation.

7. Lithium batteries that do not hold a charge must be removed from use and reported to the Technical Director.

8. A team member must be present at all times to monitor charging batteries.

9. At the competition site, if any of the above battery conditions are observed students must immediately notify the Technical Director or RoboNation and provide the battery specifications and safety information.

10. Failed or failing Lithium-ion batteries must be handled in accordance with manufacturer’s safety and disposal guidelines. In the absence of specific guidelines, batteries must be placed in a LiPo safe bag, which must then be placed in a bucket, covered with sand, and placed in a designated safety zone.

Fuel

1. Only use approved containers for fuel storage and handling.

2. Store flammable liquids in well-ventilated areas and away from heat.

3. Don’t store more flammable liquid than is needed for 1 day’s operation.

4. Always power off equipment while refueling.

5. Teams must provide their own fuel specific spill kit in the event of a fuel spill.

6. Ensure that fuel caps remain properly closed whenever not actively refueling.

7. No smoking is allowed.

All teams are required to register to compete using the Registration form found on the SUAS website. This registration collects each team’s point of contact information, demographics, and the Pre-Competition Requirements outlined in Section 6.2: Event Submissions and Section 6.3: Design Documentation Submissions.

6.1.1 Registration Fees

Teams are required to pay a base registration fee of $1,500 USD, due upon the registration deadline of February 28.

6.1.2 Cancellation and Refund Policy

To cancel a registration, teams must complete the Cancellation Form. Cancellation requests submitted via email will not be accepted. Click here to review the cancellation and refund policy.

This information is collected prior to participation on-site at the competition, during the registration process.

6.2.1 Team Member Registration

This form is required for all team members, advisors, and chaperones planning to attend the competition on-site. Each individual will be able to enter and submit their own information using this process. This information includes name, contact information, academic information, optional resume, emergency contact information, signed forms, and a request for an invitation letter. Teams can list up to 30 team members, advisors, and chaperones.

• Download the (required of all minor and adult participants)

• Download the (required of all adult participants, over the age of 18 years)

6.2.2 Team Demographics

Team demographics are collected to determine program impact on students and in educational settings. This information may also be shared with any eligible sponsors.

6.2.3 Vehicle Information

This submission documents a list of all components utilized in the vehicle design. The details specified in this form must not change after this point without written approval from the organizers.

6.2.4 On-Site Requirements

Battery Safety Requirements

Shipping Plan

Teams are required to submit a shipping plan to facilitate shipment receipt/handling at the competition hotel. This shipping plan must include:

1. Organization name

2. Team name

3. Shipping POC

4. Shipping POC mobile number

5. Shipping POC email address

6. Number of crates

7. Dimensions for each crate

8. Estimated shipping date

9. Shipping Company

10. Type of shipment – Air, ground, ocean

11. Has initial pick-up or drop off been scheduled – include date of pick-up or drop off

12. Is this a dangerous good shipment? If so, has a dangerous goods shipment been arranged?

13. Have you scheduled your outbound shipment pick-up or drop off? Provide pick-up details (date/time) for any pick-up from the hotel.

14. Additional information for shipment, if needed.

This information is collected prior to participation on-site at the competition, during the registration process. Submission requirements, guidelines, and scoring can be found in Section 3: Design Documentation.

Design Documentation submissions collected before the competition include:

• Proof of Flight Readiness Video

• Technical Design Report

• Team Website

A Data Sharing project has been established for registered teams competing in RoboNation’s autonomous competitions: RoboBoat, SUAS, RoboSub, and RobotX. This project aims to increase collaboration between teams and to provide access to shared resources and test data to validate and debug the reliability and robustness of teams’ machine vision algorithms. Access information will be provided in the team registration process, outlined in Section 5.1 Register and Intent to Compete.

For the data sharing guide and more information on Data Sharing, visit RoboNation.org/data-sharing.

6.6.1 Data Sharing Access Requirements

During the registration process, teams must provide a generic email account and a team acronym that is used in the Data Sharing project. The generic email can be associated with any email provider. An example of the Generic Email is: roboboat-team@outlook.com. The team acronym must be within 2-10 characters, abbreviating the team’s school or organization. Examples of the team acronym are: RN or ROBOTEAM.

Access is given to teams that complete the Registration form. Only official registered teams maintain access to the Data Sharing project for the competition season.

6.4.1 Travel + Lodging

Teams are responsible for coordinating their own lodging and travel plans.

Lodging

Teams are responsible for booking their own lodging for the event. Teams are recommended to search for hotels near the competition venue, along Three Notch Road, in California, Maryland. Click here for a start to a search of nearby hotels.

Travel Considerations

VISA Process – It is recommended for international students to acquire a B-1 Visitor VISA to attend the competition. However, if the student has plans for any other activities besides the competition, they may choose to investigate other types of visas. Explore the different types of visas: travel.state.gov.

Invitation Letter – Once a team is officially registered and the registration fee is paid, they are eligible to request invitation letters. During the Team Member Registration, each team member are given the opportunity to request an invitation letter issued by RoboNation. Contact support@robonation.org with any questions.

6.4.2 Shipping

Teams are responsible for coordinating the necessary shipping to ensure arrival of vehicle and equipment. Any shipping questions can be directed to Cheri Koch at ckoch@robonation.org / 850.642.0536.

6.4.3 Event Logistics

Team Village

Each team is provided with a 6-foot table working area in a tent that includes one electrical outlet (120V 60 Hz 15A). The Team Village is a tent that resides on a paved surface. Although the covered workspace is weather resistant, teams are discouraged from leaving sensitive electronics/equipment exposed in the tent.

Teams should conduct development, maintenance, and repair of their systems in their designated area in Team Village. Batteries may be charged during the day at the Team Village but may not be left charging overnight.

Team Course Operating Areas (Shoreline)

Teams are provided with an area along the shoreline near the course areas where they are able to set up their shore equipment. Each course has a 10’ x 10’ tent-covered area with a single table per tent, 120V 60Hz 15A power. The power provided is for Operator Control Station (OCS) use only and shall not be extended to any platforms on the flight line.

Power

The United States uses a 120V 60Hz 15A electrical outlet plug. Usually three pins, two parallel blades (one wider than the other), and an offset semi-round pin. The wider blade is Neutral, the shorter blade is Hot/Line and the third pin is Ground. Teams will only get one 15A service and should not connect more load than that.

Vehicle Transportation to Flight Line

The UAS and ground station will be transported from the pits to the flight line via flatbed trailers operated by competition staff. Teams must be able to move equipment from the pit tables to the nearby trailer, from the trailer to the flight-line tent, and back.

Open to the Public

This event is open to the public, with a free guest ticket. Guest tickets can be purchased on the SUAS website. Consider the possible attendance from future employers or sponsors.

6.5.1 Pre-Competition Communications

SUAS teams have a variety of opportunities to interact with each other and the SUAS staff leading up to the event.

TeamTime Meetings

Leading up to the on-site competition, there are regularly held virtual meetings where teams are asked to have a team representative join. These TeamTime meetings are hosted by the SUAS organizers and technical team to provide teams with competition updates and the opportunity to ask questions. Teams can find the meeting dates and details on the , , and email.

SUAS Discord

All questions, comments, and suggestions should be posted on the . Teams are encouraged to actively participate in the online community and monitor it for the latest news and updates regarding all things SUAS.

6.5.2 Event Communications

Team Lead

Each team must designate a student team member as their team lead. The team lead is the only person allowed to speak for the team. The team lead is the only person permitted to request vehicle deployment, run start, run end, or vehicle retrieval. The team lead must be conversationally fluent in English to communicate with SUAS staff. Teams who do not have members fluent in English should contact SUAS staff as soon as possible.

Technical Director Team

The SUAS Technical Director Team consists of a Technical Director, Safety Inspectors and Course Managers.

Other SUAS Staff

The SUAS Staff are identified with “Staff” shirts.

6.5.3 SUAS Website

Appendix A: Flight Area Overview

Appendix B: Safety Inspection

Appendix C: Change Log

7.1 Glossary

7.2 Acronyms

• Red: Mission Flight Boundary

• Purple: Air Drop Boundaries

• Green: Mapping Boundaries

• Blue: Runways

To be cleared for flight at competition, the UAS must meet all safety requirements. The UAS and the ground station will be inspected for safety and competition compliance. Teams should be ready for their inspection at least one hour before their estimated flight time. If the UAS fails inspection or is not present, the team will be put in the back of the queue and may be revisited after other teams are inspected, as time allows.

At a minimum, the following areas are checked:

Safety Pilot

• FAA TRUST Certificate of Completion

Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS)

• FAA Vehicle Registration Certificate & ID on External UAS Surface

  • The Safety Pilot can be a student, the adviser, or non-student. The Safety Pilot must complete the FAA’s The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and present the certificate at safety inspection and flight line

• Remote ID Module is Present

  • The UAS must be registered using FAADroneZone, the certificate must be presented at safety inspection and flight line, and the vehicle's external surface must be labeled with registration number.

• Single UAS, Heavier Than Air, No Tethers, Up to 45 LBs

• No Personnel Near Propeller Arc When Powered

  • Personnel must be clear of the propeller arc whenever the motors have the ability to receive power/rotate. Software based disarm is not sufficient. Motor power disconnect or physical propeller restraints are required to work on the UAS

• All Batteries are Brightly Colored, No Exotic Fuels/Batteries

  • Exotic fuels or batteries will not be allowed. All batteries must be brightly colored for identification in a crash.

• All Fasteners Must Have Safety Wire, Loctite (Fluid), or Nylon Nuts

• RTL/RTH Activatable by Safety Pilot and Ground Control Station

• Automatic RTH/RTL After 30 Seconds of Comms Loss

  • The configured lost comms RTH/RTL and flight termination point must be (38.315339, -76.548108)

• Automatic Flight Termination After 3 Minutes of Comms Loss

  • Fixed wing: throttle closed, full up elevator, full right rudder, full aileron, and full flaps down. Rotary: throttle closed.

Air Drop Payload

• Entire Drop Payload Weight Up to 2 LBs

  • The air drop payload includes everything that separates from the UAS during an air drop, including the object being dropped. Each air drop payload must weigh 2 LBs or less.

• No Sustained Flight

  • The air drop payload cannot have any means to sustain flight (e.g. propulsion, propellers, jets, lighter than air, etc.).

Ground Station

• Map with Flight Boundaries, UAS Position, and Waypoint Threshold Configured to Less Than 50 Feet

• UAS Speed in KIAS, Ground Speed in Knots, and Altitude in Feet MSL

• Onsite Operation of Safety Functionality

  • The safety functionality must be operated using onsite systems with no dependency on any system not under the team’s full control. For example, safety critical functionality cannot have a dependency on the public internet or public cloud providers. Safety critical functionality includes, but is not limited to, return to land and flight termination, manual piloting by the Safety Pilot, commanding the autopilot by the GCS Operator, and failsafe for the air drop.

More details on system requirements are available in Ssection 5.2: Safety Requirements and Section 5.3: Vehicle Requirements.