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]
No I'm not changing the table again until the end of the month. Perhaps next month the best times could be sent in secret and only in the last week will I start publishing the results. You would'nt know if it was good enough or impossible to beat then.
Darnit, got piped to the post, well done Condor, you the first RSA flag up there, some rats keeping me busy this side, was hoping to do my first flight this weekend but now it must wait another week.
Ah well now Condor, of course I would have liked to put a South African flag there but I considered the fact that attempt took place in the USA. Chris Mc Nair is going to have that problem when he enters in Oz but is from USA. From here on in, declare the flag under which you intend to fly folks!! IOS, you git I just changed that thing.
I totally agree that Sami should be recognised for being the first to enter the contest.
This afternoon I decided to have one last go at the contest, and again I beat my previous best time again :)
The plots and attached flight logs (with times highlighted) are above, and a summary of my times are below;
Flight 1
70734.2
70839.4
------- 1:05.2 best time
Flight 2
71059.8
71205
------- 1:05.2 best time
Flight 3
71612.8
71724.2
-------
1:11.4
This was my final flight on the flying wing - I have now removed the autopilot from it - to use for ground testing of the failsafe for the OBC.
Oh sorry IOS that was stupid me error for not putting you second, will change that it was a flag fest.
I will keep the bonus points in as something silly undertaken in the making should be rewarded. I do think Sami needs some recognition for being first.
Who knows if somebody comes up with something blindingly silly I might change them again, so to that end I shall remove them now and open a tin of beer on the last evening of the comp and award without favour silly bonus points.
To my mind it will keep simple systems in the running!!
I shall change the name to Krzysztof (Chris) BOSAK so that you win the longest name in the event category!!
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Gary, could you change my name to Krzysztof (Chris) BOSAK or something, kbosak is my nick on many systems, but is very difficult to pronounce. You can ignore polish version of the forename as it causes 1-3 errors when others write it, the best so far being Kristofak (sort of Dracula I guess).
Just a question; are the normal points awarded against the times achieved? If so, I would like to claim second on time (i.e. 8 points) while Sami would be third (i.e. 6 points), but second overall given the bonus (i.e. 6+3=9).
I'm not too crash hot on the new bonus point system - the reasons for awarding those points were pretty arbitrary - but I'll have to live with it.
Comments
Dis'n plesier,meneer Condor jammer Sarel
No I'm not changing the table again until the end of the month. Perhaps next month the best times could be sent in secret and only in the last week will I start publishing the results. You would'nt know if it was good enough or impossible to beat then.
Rgrds
I totally agree that Sami should be recognised for being the first to enter the contest.
This afternoon I decided to have one last go at the contest, and again I beat my previous best time again :)
The plots and attached flight logs (with times highlighted) are above, and a summary of my times are below;
Flight 1
70734.2
70839.4
-------
1:05.2 best time
Flight 2
71059.8
71205
-------
1:05.2 best time
Flight 3
71612.8
71724.2
-------
1:11.4
This was my final flight on the flying wing - I have now removed the autopilot from it - to use for ground testing of the failsafe for the OBC.
I will keep the bonus points in as something silly undertaken in the making should be rewarded. I do think Sami needs some recognition for being first.
Who knows if somebody comes up with something blindingly silly I might change them again, so to that end I shall remove them now and open a tin of beer on the last evening of the comp and award without favour silly bonus points.
To my mind it will keep simple systems in the running!!
I shall change the name to Krzysztof (Chris) BOSAK so that you win the longest name in the event category!!
Just a question; are the normal points awarded against the times achieved? If so, I would like to claim second on time (i.e. 8 points) while Sami would be third (i.e. 6 points), but second overall given the bonus (i.e. 6+3=9).
I'm not too crash hot on the new bonus point system - the reasons for awarding those points were pretty arbitrary - but I'll have to live with it.
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