Intro

This is a copy pasta of https://discord.com/channels/776618956638388305/976311561373237278/1158934558171988018 into text.

Content

Hi Mark!

Warg recently had a meeting and we've compiled a list of questions. I hope you don't find it too overwhelming:

• 18.c. : Is the vehicle allowed to cross the centerline between the two waypoints?

• 18.c. : Does "outside the waypoints" mean past a line perpendicular to the line segment connecting the 2 waypoints?
  
  

• 18.d. : How close to the takeoff point does the vehicle need to land (i.e.: what is the acceptance radius)?

• 18.d. : is it correct to assume that once the vehicle is landed, the lap count is final (i.e.: cannot land at takeoff point, then takeoff again?)
  
  

• 18.f. : what is the maximum height of the obstacles from the ground (i.e.: building and containers)?

• 20. : How close will the physical landing pads be to the provided landing zone coordinates? (i.e.: what is the expected error?)

• 21.a. : Will we be provided a means to synchronize our clock with the official clock?

• 21.a. : Is the vehicle allowed to finish the approach early and hover over a landing pad until the start of the landing time window?

• 21.f. : Which side fo the landing pad will be facing upwards? (blue, orange ,both?). Will the landing pads be the same as the ones used in the 2023 AEAC Student UAS competition?

• 21.g. : how close to the landing pad does the vehicle need to land (i.e.: what is the acceptance radius), 

• 21.g. : When is the vehicle landing time taken? For example:

  • The moment it touches down (as soon as rotors have been stopped for 15 seconds)

  • 15 seconds after the rotors stop.

  • Landing completed reported to ATC

  • otherwise

• Table 6, "Time" : Ware the deductions for discrete increments of 30 seconds or continuous? (i.e. 0.2 point deduction for 3 seconds)

• General: Are we allowed to survey the landing pads prior to the competition? (i.e. updating satellite imagery)

• 21.g.: We just need approximate estimates (days vs weeks vs months for): 

  • What is the time frame for flarifying the missing values X? 

  • What is the time frame for clarying the altitude limitations?

• FRR: Is realism a scale (i.e. highest scoring team receives all points, lowest scoring team receives none), or can multiple teams receive maximum points?

• ATC Interaction : Are there points for doing ATC interaction autonomously?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Anthony Luo

Technical Director, Pilot

OK, you guys win for 'most number of questions ever asked in a single email' :).  No problems, I try to avoid being overwhelmed...

• 'The exact route to be flown is at the discretion of the Bidder'.  We don't care where you go as long as  you go around the waypoints.

• Watch a slalom ski race sometime - UAMS must go around the waypoints.
  
  

• We're not going to set a specific distance - safe landing nearby is fine.

• Correct, and you'll receive the score based on the number of laps completed.  Reminder that, per 18d, if you land somewhere else you now have zero laps and would have to restart from 18b.

• You mean 21f, I assume.  Not sure, we have to do a detailed mapping of the landing pad site, as mentioned in 21f.

• We'll give you a physical layout referenced to a GPS coordinate, more to follow.

• Good point; yes, we'll do a time-synchronization sometime on Friday after the FRR, and specify the time reference for the rest of the weekend.

• New text added to conops:  The UAMS may not obstruct the landing zone until its designated landing time window (ie, you can’t hover over the pad and land at the designated time, you have to leave room for another mythical UAMS to land during their hypothetical time window).  

• Blue.  Yes.

• There is no positional relationship between the pad itself and the UAMS, see 21g.  You just have to stick the landing on the LZ...hence the 15 second requirement to see if it falls off!

• Touch down.

• Discrete, per the text.

• If you like, you can get on a plane and go to Alma and look at them in person :).  We will provide an accurate drawing, dimensions, GPS reference, and photos, however.

• When we get it done.  If you or other teams have specific design decision reasons why you need specific dimensions at a specific time, let me know.

• FRR is individual scores.

• No.

Cheers, keep 'em coming.  I'm compiling changes in a new version of the Conops to be released when it seems appropriate.

Oh, and per the other questions, the altitude of Waypoint Alpha for the initial climb in Task 1 will be 100m, as 120m is just too close to the maximum altitude of 400'.

Mark