Awards

Overview

The Qualifying Criteria contains charts that indicate which Awards will qualify teams from local events to a Championship event. The exact number of qualifying spots allocated to each event is determined by the REC Foundation manager for that region, and can be found on that event’s information page on RobotEvents.com.

There are three types of awards at REC Foundation-qualified competitions.

• Performance Awards: Based on drone performance on the competition field. Performance Awards do not impact the eligibility of a team to earn a Judged Award. These awards include:
  • Tournament Champion
  • Autonomous Flight Champion
• Judged Awards: Based on the award criteria. Judges, in coordination with the Judge Advisor, determine judged awards using the REC Foundation judging process, award criteria, and rubrics. Single page award descriptions can be printed out for use in Judge Deliberations. These awards include
  • Excellence Award
  • Flight Operations Award
  • Programming Award
  • Inspire Award
  • Judges Award
• Custom Awards: While nearly all events choose to use standard awards, it is possible to give out custom awards using the Tournament Manager software. To help prevent confusion, EPs should ensure that teams understand which awards being presented are custom awards specific to the event.

Judged Awards

Flight Operations Award

The Flight Operations Award recognizes an organized, systematic, and professional approach to planning and strategizing, project and time management, and team organization. The Flight Operations Award recognizes a team's ability to document and explain their process via a Competition Logbook and Team Interview. The Flight Operations Award is a required award if judging is being conducted at an event.

Key criteria of the Flight Operations Award are:

• Exhibit a high-quality team interview
• Team demonstrates effective management of time, talent, and resources
• Team interview demonstrates their ability to explain their drone programming and game strategy
• Team interview demonstrates effective communication skills, teamwork, safety and professionalism
• Competition Logbook demonstrates clear, complete, and organized records
• Competition Logbook and Team Interview demonstrate a student-centered ethos

Additional notes:

• While we expect teams to have and use Competition Logbooks, we also recognize there may be events where all teams either have not started their Logbook or they are all considered Developing. In this case, judges should base the award on team interviews. 

Excellence Award

The Excellence Award recognizes overall excellence in both the Judged Award and the Performance Award categories. The Excellence Award incorporates all the criteria of the Flight Operations Award, plus the added component of a team’s on-field performance at the event. The Excellence Award is a required award if judging is being conducted at an event.

Key criteria of the Excellence Award are:

• Exhibit a high-quality team interview
• Be ranked in the top 10 or top 30% of teams (whichever is greater) at the
• conclusion of qualifying matches
• Be ranked in the top 5 or top 20% of teams (whichever is greater) at the
• conclusion of Autonomous Flight Matches
• Be a candidate in consideration for other Judged Awards
• Demonstrate a student-centered ethos
• Exhibit positive team conduct, good sportsmanship, and professionalism
• Be at or near the top of all Competition Logbook Rubric rankings

As an emerging program this season, we anticipate most events to have Aerial Drone Competition Excellence Award candidate teams to meet the above requirements. If there are extenuating circumstances, some of these requirements may be relaxed so that judges may award an Excellence Award to the team they've determined to be the best candidate in the spirit of the award.

Programming Award

The Programming Award recognizes the most effective and consistent use of coding techniques and programming design solutions to solve the game challenge.

Key criteria of the Programming Award are:

• Participation in Autonomous Flight Matches
• Autonomous programming is consistent and reliable
• Programs are cleanly written, well commented, and easy to follow
• Team clearly explains the programming strategy to solve the game challenge
• Team clearly explains their programming management process/version control
• Students understand and explain how they worked together to develop their drone programming
• Team interview demonstrates effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a student-centered ethos

Judges Award

The Judges Award recognizes attributes that may not fit in other award categories and the Judges felt were deserving of special recognition. The Judges Award is a required award if Judging is being conducted at an event. The Judges Award is a required award if judging is being conducted at an event.

Key criteria of the Judges Award are:

• Team displays special attributes, exemplary effort, or perseverance at the event
• Team overcomes an obstacle or challenge and achieves a goal or special accomplishment at the event
• Students demonstrate teamwork and effective communication skills
• Team interview demonstrates effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a student-centered ethos

Inspire Award

The Inspire Award recognizes passion for the competition and positivity for the Aerial Drone Competition Program and at the event.

Key criteria of the Inspire Award are:

• Team exhibits passion and positive attitude for the Aerial Drone Competition program and at the event
• Team exhibits integrity and goodwill toward other teams, coaches, and spectators
• Team overcomes an obstacle or challenge and achieves a goal or special accomplishment at the event
• Students demonstrate teamwork and effective communication skills
• Team interview demonstrates effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a student-centered ethos