Rules

All rules mentioned in this site are based on Volume F9 Drone Sport 2019 Edition with adjustments and additions where applicable. Participants must follow Volume F9 Drone Sport 2019 Edition, CIAM General and rules set by the event organizer.

FAI

This competition is part of FAI F9U World Cup so all participants must hold a valid FAI Licence or Drone Permission during event. If you don't have a FAI licence / Drone Permission and you are either a citizen or a resident of Latvia, FAI licence can be obtained by contacting Drone Racing Latvia.

Every drone (which will be used in the event) must be clearly marked (sticker, engraving, etc.) with participants National ID number and FAI Licence Number/Drone Permission. Text size for these markings should be at least 6mm high.

For the event, each pilot can register and use up to 3 drones. Use of unregistered drones is not allowed! Use of other pilots drones (even registered ones) is not allowed! If you crash all of your allocated drones beyond repair your event run is over.

BE ADVISED: In order to validate licence holder event organizers might ask for identification document (ID, drivers licence, passport, etc.) during attendance registration/drone technical inspection process. Failure to provide information that is needed to validate licence holder will be a reason to decline participation!

Participation limits

Currently there are no participation limits although we reserve the right to limit the amount of participants at any time by updating information here. If a participation limit is imposed new participants will be handled on first come first served basis.

Registration deadline is June 15th at 11:00:00 but can be subject to change at a later time.

Insurance

Currently in Latvia there is no insurance requirement by law. However, we do encourage pilots to obtain one as organizers are not responsible for any damage done during race to third party property or other persons.

Drone Technical Information

Drones must meet these general requirements:

  • Motor-to-motor (MTM) distance diognally must not exceed 330mm;
  • Battery voltage must not exceed 25.5v (6s);
  • All-up-weight (AUW) must not exceed 1000g;
  • Propeller diameter must not exceed 6 inches;
  • Metal propellers or any propeller protection devices are not allowed;
  • Each motor can be tilted up to 15° maximum angle in each direction;
  • Only electric motors.

Radio Control System

Participants are allowed to use 2.4Ghz and 868Mhz (Crossfire etc.) radio control systems. Both systems must abide by the European Union and Latvian regulations:

  • 2.4Ghz - transmission power during event must not exceed 100mw and must employ Listen Before Talk (LBT). This means that all FrSky systems must use the EU LBT firmware (transmitter and receiver);
  • 868Mhz - transmission power during event must not exceed 25mw and telemetry must be switched off as well as dynamic power.

Video transmission

Participants are allowed to use only 5.8Ghz TBS Unify (all variants), ImmersionRC Tramp, FuriousFPV Stealth, Foxeer ClearTX (v1 and v2) video transmitters in combination with circular polarized antenna. Video transmission must abide by the European Union and Latvian regulations:

  • transmission power during event must not exceed 25mw.

Video transmitters not mentioned above cannot be used during event. Linear/dipole antennas are not allowed!

NOTE: We reserve the right to add or remove (removal can't be done less than a month before event) video transmitters from the existing list by updating information here.

LEDs

Each drone must be equipped with at least 12 RGB LED functioning elements (for example - 2 RGB LED strips containing 6 LED elements each) which are located under drone arms/body or in the back. These RGB LED elements must be switchable either by hand or electronically to adjust to any of these colors - RED/YELLOW/GREEN/BLUE. During flight each color will represent a video frequency.

In order to continue using a drone in upcoming flights after RGB LED elements have been damaged/stopped working at least 6 RGB LED elements must be in working order.

Drone cannot be used if at the start of flight RGB LED elements are not in working order or pilot is not able to set up the correct color.

Failsafe

Must be set to drop or no pulses. Any last RC input holding or other methods that try to keep the drone in the air after it has lost RC signal are not allowed.

Automatic modes

Horizon, angle, level and other stabilization (including GPS assist etc.) modes are not allowed. Anti-crash, turtle or similar modes which are meant to either stop the "spin of death" after hitting an obstacle or flip drone after a crash are allowed but use of these can be limited by the assigned judge if drone is deemed not fit for flight.

Race Information

Video transmission frequencies

  • F1 (5740) - LED color RED
  • B3 (5771) - LED color YELLOW
  • B6 (5828) - LED color GREEN
  • F7 (5860) - LED color BLUE

Practice Stage

  • Each pilot will be assigned to a flight group and a video transmission frequency at random;
  • At least 2 flights per pilot;
  • Each flight will be 3 minutes (unlimited laps);
  • 4 to 6 pilots per flight (based on total pilot amount);
  • Pilot can be granted additional flight (re-flight):
    • After a crash if the reason for it cannot be attributed to him.

Qualification Stage

  • At the start of each round, pilots will be assigned to a flight group and a video transmission frequency at random;
  • At least 3 flights per pilot;
  • Flight will consist of X laps (TBD);
  • 4 to 6 pilots per flight (based on total pilot amount);
  • Reflights will be flown at the end of the concerned round;
  • Pilot can be granted additional flight (re-flight):
    • After a crash if the reason for it cannot be attributed to him and his assigned judge considers that this collision has clearly penalised the pilot. In case of a re-flight, the flight for which the pilot gets the re-flight is then definitively cancelled.
  • Overall ranking is based on "Fastest time to complete a required number of laps".

Elimination Stage

  • Double elimination;
  • Type and flight groups will determined based on number of pilots:
    • Less than 32 pilots in total - Top16 pilots qualify
    • Less than 64 pilots in total - Top32 pilots qualify
    • 64 or more pilots in total - Top64 pilots qualify
  • Number of laps will be determined based on observations made during qualification stage;
  • Reflights will be flown at the end of the concerned round;

Final Stage

  • Successive final races;
  • Two competitors from upper bracket are in the final without any losses, but the two other competitors from lower bracket already have one loss each.
  • In each successive final race, pilots placed in first and second places are directly selected for the next final race. Pilots placed third and fourth (or the pilot placed third when the race concerns only 3 pilots) get one loss.
  • As soon as a competitor gets two losses, he is then definitively eliminated and so does not fly in the next final race.

Timing system

Event will utilize VTX timing system so there is no need for transponders or 5v output on drones.

Other

Any other situation not mentioned in this section of the site is covered by Volume F9 Drone Sport 2019 Edition. If a situation that is not covered by either set of rules arises it will be dealt on a case by case basis by the Race Director.