Thanks to the good ideas of Gary Mortimer and others, we're now launching a Trust Time Trial contest. The idea is simple: you set up four waywaypoints, spaced 200m apart, on your own field and time your UAV completing the course. Upload the data in the comments here. Best time on Sept 1 wins (I've got a prize this month--a new FunJet kit).
In the future, we'll add complexity and stricter standards to the trial, but this first one is easy:
1) Must complete the pattern as shown above, totally autonomously (go into auto mode before waypoint 1 and exit after you hit waypoint 1 again). The four points are arranged in a square, with 200m on a side (obviously the two diagonal paths are longer). Any aircraft/autopilot allowed. It doesn't matter how close to the waypoints you get, as long as you pass on the outside of them.
2) For this first one, altitude is not graded.
3) Fastest time to hit all points and return to 1 wins (one lap). Must provide GPS track with timestamps and on-board video. (If you don't have/can't afford a small onboard videocamera like the FlyCamOne 2, we'll let it go this time. But in the future: video or it didn't happen!)
4) Must also demonstrate that fun was had. Kids, picnics, silly hats, marching bands, something.
GPS tracks are best achieved with an onboard GPS datalogger, like the i-Blue 747 or smaller Sanav ML-7. But if you don't have one or don't want to add the weight, you can just capture the GPS track from your telemetry stream, although you'll have to figure out how to convert it to KML format to export to Google Earth (see below). If your Ground Control System has a built-in map+track function, a screen shot of that is fine, but it should be possible for people to check to confirm that your leg lengths are at least 200m.
Evidence data should include these four things:1) Total time, along with aircraft and autopilot used. A photo of the aircraft would be nice.
2) Screen capture of path exported to Google Earth or an equivalent, annotated with waypoints and where autonomy began and ended. Here's a sample from Dean Goedde (waypoints and autonomy not marked):3) GPS datalog file, any format
4) Onboard video, embedded from YouTube or Vimeo. [Not absolutely required but requested]
Hi guys,
This morning when I woke up the weather was perfect, so I went out to the flying field just before work to have another go at the T3 contest. The plane is pretty much set up the same way, with a few very minor tweaks at the gains. The Magpy is also still at the field !
Anyhow, I've posted a plot of my flights as well as the log file. I have highlighted in red the start and stop times from which I have taken my times in the excel sheet, and I was able to beat my previous time :)
Summary of flights:
231435.4
231544.6
--------
1:11
231823.2
231935.8
--------
1:12
232227.2
232335.8
-------- 1:08 <-- My current best time
With all the work ahead of me on the 'real' UAV, I'm not sure if I will get any time to have another go,... but its been fun being a part of this :)
In my view a good idea to add extra points on specific items.
However, not so sure if it is a good idea to change the rules after the comp. was started.
I was thinking about bonus points, every month 3,2,1 points might be available for proof of fun or a clever use of something. There can be no democracy in this!! Chris and I will decide behind closed doors and that will be that. Well that would not be fair! At the moment I might go for 3 bonus points to Sami for being the first to enter, 2 to Chris for finding T3 music and 1 to Vassillis for being the first to beat the minute barrier. I'm dropping this in fearing flaming, I'm off for a walk. G
Wow, I did'nt look yesterday an see what I missed. The minute broken, fantastic!
Well done Chris your in the points with that entry and Condor, cool to hear a familiar accent on your setup video.
I'm just in from full sized flying started at 04:30 that Anderson bloke is a slave driver, who do you think you are some sort of editor?? Heres what I believe is a correct update of the league table. If I have you entry wrong then please let me know.
Well done to everybody that has entered so far, perhaps we ought to map where everybody is as well.
Comments
DIY_T3_Contest_20082009.xls
Hi guys,
This morning when I woke up the weather was perfect, so I went out to the flying field just before work to have another go at the T3 contest. The plane is pretty much set up the same way, with a few very minor tweaks at the gains. The Magpy is also still at the field !
Anyhow, I've posted a plot of my flights as well as the log file. I have highlighted in red the start and stop times from which I have taken my times in the excel sheet, and I was able to beat my previous time :)
Summary of flights:
231435.4
231544.6
--------
1:11
231823.2
231935.8
--------
1:12
232227.2
232335.8
--------
1:08 <-- My current best time
With all the work ahead of me on the 'real' UAV, I'm not sure if I will get any time to have another go,... but its been fun being a part of this :)
However, not so sure if it is a good idea to change the rules after the comp. was started.
Well done Chris your in the points with that entry and Condor, cool to hear a familiar accent on your setup video.
I'm just in from full sized flying started at 04:30 that Anderson bloke is a slave driver, who do you think you are some sort of editor?? Heres what I believe is a correct update of the league table. If I have you entry wrong then please let me know.
Well done to everybody that has entered so far, perhaps we ought to map where everybody is as well.
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