Opportunity brief
Overdrive is a high-speed wireless rover racing challenge that tests speed, precision, control, and driving skills. Teams compete to complete a Melbourne F1-style track featuring ramps, rollers, gravel pits, and airborne sections in the shortest possible time. With 3 laps per attempt and 2 attempts per team, racers must balance aggressive driving with precision while avoiding penalties. The fastest valid run conquers the track.
"Accelerate. Control. Conquer."
Details:
- Category: Speed
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Date: 17th October 2026
- Time: 12:00 PM
- Venue: Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology
- Mode: Offline
- Team Size: 3–5 participants
- No. of rounds: 2 attempts per team (3 laps per attempt; best valid attempt considered)
Eligibility Criteria:
- Open to all students.
- Inter-college participants allowed.
Pre-requisites:
Competition-ready wireless-controlled rover complying with the specifications below:
- Maximum weight: 2 kg
- Maximum dimensions: 8 × 8 × 8 inches
- Maximum voltage: 48V DC
- Control: Wireless only — Wi-Fi, BLE, RF, LoRa, nRF24L01, or commercial RC systems
- Operator: Single operator per run
- Wired control: Not permitted
Event Flow:
- One rover will be allowed on the track at a time.
- Each team gets 2 attempts, with 3 laps per attempt.
- Each attempt has a maximum time limit of 5 minutes.
- Checkpoint detection will be performed using a front-mounted white LED and LDR-based checkpoint system.
- The Final Time = Race Time + Penalty Time.
- The team with the lowest valid Final Time will rank highest.
- Tie-breaker: lower penalty time will be considered first; if still tied, the better time from the team's other attempt will be considered.
- Failure to complete all 3 laps within the time limit will result in DNF.
Rules & Regulations:
- The rover must comply with the specified 2 kg weight, 8-inch maximum dimensions, and 48V DC maximum voltage limits.
- Only wireless control is permitted. Wired control of the rover is strictly prohibited.
- Each rover must have a front-mounted white LED that remains visible to the checkpoint detection system throughout the run.
- Only one operator is permitted to control the rover during an attempt.
- Weapons, projectiles, explosives, pyrotechnics, flammable substances, high-pressure systems, or any mechanism designed to damage another rover or person are strictly prohibited.
- Any form of jamming or intentional signal interference with another team's rover is prohibited.
- Knocking a boundary or obstacle will incur a +3 second penalty.
- An off-track excursion will incur a +5 second penalty.
- A manual reset will incur a +10 second penalty.
- Missing a checkpoint will result in lap invalidation or a +20 second penalty, as determined by the organisers.
- Unsafe or reckless driving may result in a warning and, if repeated or severe, disqualification.
- A rover that fails to complete all 3 laps within the 5-minute limit will be marked DNF.