Two and half years ago, we started the T3 (Trust Time Trial) Contest here at DIY Drones. The idea was simple: give people a mission to accomplish, on their own field and on their own time. They would record the telemetry, and submit a KML file with the result (we "trust" that it hasn't been faked). We could then compare the result and decide who was the winner (fastest time, best pattern, etc), as if they had all been racing/competing head-to-head.
Back then, it was an accomplishment just to complete an autonomous mission with a regular plane. But we've made a lot of progress since then, and that's now possible with a multicopter or traditional helicopter, too. So it's time to relaunch the T3 Competition. And we're going to do it by returning to the first mission ever: the Figure Eight, but this time expanded to include copters.
Figure Eight Mission Rules:
- There are two categories: Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing (multicopters or traditional helis). 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards will be given in both.
- 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 for fixed wing aircraft and 100m on a side for rotary wing aircraft (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.
- Altitude is not graded.
- Fastest time in each category to hit all points and return to 1 wins (one lap).
- The Judge will be Gary Mortimer, as always!
- Deadline is Sunday, Dec 11th, at midnight PST.
- 1st Prize in each category is a $100 gift certificate to the DIY Drones store. 2nd and 3rd prizes are $25 each.
Entries should include these three things:
- Total time, along with aircraft (and type: fixed or rotary wing) and autopilot used. A photo of the aircraft would be nice, too.
- KML file of the run (an onboard video is also encouraged, but not required)
- 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 my first entry, way back then (original ArduPilot!):
Comments
Just when I finish the 12 step program for UAV Pilots Anonymous you had to go start up T3 again. I had just gotten over the shakes too. Curse you....
Enter as many times as you dare! If you check all the rounds last time we are pretty flexible in the judging department. This is just a bit of fun to push the boundaries and improve the entire system for everyone. Some big changes where made on the back of the comps.
Let your mind think its 1913 and the Schneider trophy is going to take the speed record from just under 50 miles an hour to over 400 mph. RJ Mitchell and Rolls Royce took their work in those races and the Spitfire was born. Lets innovate!!
Blimey just looked for a handy link and found this, it is more like the 1930's in UAS aviation than I thought right now.
The early 1930s were times of worldwide economic depression and as the date for the 1931 Schneider Trophy approached it seemed highly unlikely that the government would provide money for any new aircraft. Mitchell was frustrated. Like the Italians and Americans before, Britain was now in a position to win the Schneider Trophy outright, with three consecutive wins, but Supermarine were not able to fund the development of a new plane and, despite declarations of intention to compete from both France and Italy at the end of 1930, the government announced in January 1931 that expenditure of public money to support the contest was not justified
http://www.rjmitchell-spitfire.co.uk/schneidertrophy/1931.asp?secti...
Perhaps we ought to have a triangle race track next.
The aim of the contest is to have fun and push the limits. Their will be broken airframes. Thats the way of things.
Maybe if there was enough interest we could have a scratch built class where we define the propeller that is to be used and you put that on whatever you want to build??
As for weather, well its always winter somewhere. DIYD is an international site!
I've just got back from the field, flying the circuit with my Twinstar. It went well, I did it in 61 seconds from first inspections of the log. Are we allowed multiple entries and have you just take our fastest? Or should I wait before submitting an entry? I bought a funjet for this contest, so if my motor arrives in time I'll hopefully be even faster :)
Colin
Well, it all went lots better first time around with aircraft, perhaps that's because aircraft AP people are better than multicopter pilots!
Cliff Gill is the only person up for it from the new crowd, well done Cliff, your entry is certainly worthy.
Yeah, but it always seems to be, that all models are broken or are getting restructured in winter time, at least at my models... :D
Daniel
> Huge open surfaces on frozen lakes, soft landings everywhere
:-)
That is right no cabin fever needed. Electronics like cold.
There are subtle calms before a storm that can happen.
The only problem is the short days in the northern latitudes.
Huge open surfaces on frozen lakes, soft landings everywhere, beautiful light and motives, usually calm weather. What else is there to ask for from a rc flying perspective?
Out of the sofa, go flying, climb trees, live out dreames, go banana!
Pity it has started so early, i haven't got a copter up and running.
Winter is always a bad time to start.
Please don't make the coming contests to difficult, perhaps i can participate then :)
Daniel
So are there any entries yet? Or are they kept under wraps until the event expires?
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