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The Competition

The current mission of the International Aerial Robotics Competition is broken into 4 Stages. Stage 1 requires that an autonomous, flying robotic vehicle navigate 3 GPS waypoints over a distance of 3 kilometers. Upon arriving at the last waypoint, the robot will be near a group of buildings (shown in the pictures). In Stage 2, the robot must identify a particular building within the group marked by the IARC symbol. Teams typically use visual processing techniques in this Stage. Once the building has been identified, the robot must also find and identify an opening on that building, which is either a door or window, no smaller than one square meter (1m x 1m).

In Stage 3, the robot must autonomously enter the building through an opening and carry out reconnaissance inside. The robot must navigate inside the building to locate a particular item and transmit images of that item, either live video or still pictures, back to the base station. Many teams have been using subvehicles that detach from the main vehicle to enter the building as their main vehicle is too large. In Stage 4, all of the previous stages must be accomplished consecutively within 15 minutes. Each team is allotted 4 attempts per Stage.

There is also a static judging portion in which teams accrue more points for their design. These points are based on things like innovation and elegance of design, safety of design to bystanders, crashworthiness, team T-Shirts, and a technical paper that they must submit.

Recently there was added an additional but optional competition point: demonstration of the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems, or JAUS (pronounced "jaws") communication protocol. The IARC has added an extra incentive of $750 for demonstrating implementation of this protocol. Also, this is the last year for this specific scenario, so the IARC will be distributing the all of the allotted $80,000 in one way or another. Apropros, from the IARC website:

"Because the IARC lease with Ft. Benning expires in 2008, the fourth mission will conclude in 2008 and all of the prize money will be awarded in 2008. If a team completes the mission according to the stated rules, $80,000 will be awarded to that team, however if no team completes the mission according to the stated rules at the 2008 event, the $80,000 prize will be distributed at the discretion of the Judges (as stated in Prize Awards Section of the Official Rules) based on the performance demonstrated in 2008. It would be advantageous for each team to demonstrate each level that they are capable of performing (Levels 1 through 4). Each level demonstrated will be rewarded. This does not constitute a change in the Official Rules. The 5th IARC mission will begin in 2009."