Drone Arena Challenge

Competition Overview

The Drone Arena Challenge at RAAIF NextGen Expo 2026 is a multi-round competition designed to test drone engineering, weight management, pickup kinematics, telemetry communication, and flight piloting capabilities.

Competition Rounds

Teams must construct or configure quadcopters to tackle two distinct operational scenarios:

Round 1 — Pick & Place

Problem Statement:
Design and operate a drone capable of picking up and placing physical objects weighing approximately 1–5 kg from a designated pickup zone to a designated drop zone.

This round tests payload handling stability under weight shifts, landing gear telemetry, structural hook efficiency, placement accuracy, and pilot coordination under tight time constraints.

Round 2 — Obstacle Navigation

Problem Statement:
Navigate a drone through a designated flight course containing suspended obstacle gates / hoops while maintaining absolute flight control and completing the course as quickly and accurately as possible.

This round tests spatial awareness, high-speed maneuverability, stabilization, and immediate pilot response times. Teams must complete the course while avoiding any contact with the obstacle boundaries.

Important Guidelines

• Payload Boundaries: Payloads will vary between 1 kg and 5 kg. The pickup hook or claw mechanism must accommodate varying surface bindings.
• Gate Specifications: The obstacle navigation hoops are suspended at heights ranging from 1.5m to 3.5m.
• Jury Scoring: Evaluations are based on final completion times, penalty points for obstacle contacts, and stability during landing.
• Safety: Propeller guards are mandatory. Maximum battery parameters and telemetry frequencies will be verified at check-in.

Expected Outputs

Teams will submit:

• Operational multirotor drone system.
• Live demonstration of Round 1 and Round 2 layouts.
• Tech spec sheet outlining drone components, weight limits, and transmission frequencies.