Opportunity brief
Overview:
FPV only. No line of sight, no GPS hold, no automated height correction, no pre-programmed paths. You build the drone, fly it manually through the goggles, and the clock decides.
DRONE RACE CIRCUIT [FPV]
Mission M-03, ROBOVISIONÄR '26
24 and 25 September 2026
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
Prize Pool: ₹60,000 | Entry: ₹1,500 | Team Size: 1–3 | Slots: 35
How the Race Works:
You get a Game Clock of 5 minutes on the grid. Within that window, you can crash and restart as many times as you need, but the clock never stops. Your score is your fastest single continuous flight from takeoff to landing past the finish zone. Miss a gate and you turn around and retry, or that lap is gone.
Drone Specifications:
- Configuration: Tricopters and quadcopters only. No hexacopters. No commercial or pre-built drones. Maximum 4 propellers on quads.
- Weight: No limit.
- Battery: Minimum 3S, maximum 6S.
- Propellers: 3-inch to 6-inch, any material except carbon fibre and full metal.
- Antennas: Circular only on quads, in good condition.
- Turtle mode is allowed for manual recovery after a crash.
- Every airframe passes a safety and airworthiness inspection before it enters the flying zone and cannot be modified afterwards without re-inspection.
Radio and Frequency:
- Analog: VTx switchable 25mW / 200mW on 5.8GHz, 40 channels minimum, must support Raceband plus channels 5645, 5740, 5800, 5860, and 5945.
- Digital: DJI O3, DJI O4, HDZero, or Walksnail only, capped at 700mW.
- Frequencies, VTx output, and LEDs are set from the Event Pilot Roster before you enter the pit.
The Circuit:
- 100 to 150 square metres, with roughly 2-metre track width.
- Mixed gates, about 5 ft high throughout, with widths from 5 ft to 10 ft, flagged for visibility on an FPV feed.
- Sharp turns, hairpins, straightaways, and elevation changes.
- Daylight racing with no gate lighting.
- Designated pit stops for battery swaps and calibration.
What to Bring:
- Minimum 2 batteries and your own charger.
- Charging points are provided.
- LiPo-safe bags or fireproof containers are mandatory for storage.
- Bring your own soldering iron and repair materials.
- Soldering is permitted only in the designated repair zone.
Who Can Enter:
- Any school, college, or university student in India.
- Teams may include members from more than one institution.
- Extra members beyond three are ₹250 each and receive e-certificates.
What's Included:
- Lunch and refreshments for all registered participants.
- E-certificates for every participant.
- Hardcopy certificates and trophies for winners.
- Accommodation is not provided.
How to Register:
- Pay by UPI.
- Submit the 12-digit UTR.
- Receive a Reference ID immediately and keep it safe.
- There are only 35 slots, and entries move to a waitlist once all slots are filled.