QUTDRC FAQ

Is the team size limited?

There is a limit of 6 official members per team. We recommend having at least 4 per team: 2 software programmers; 1 in charge of electrical and 1 for mechanical requirements for each team. There  may  be  no  more  than three teams representing  a  participating  institution.

Is the budget limited?

The total budget of the final product must be no more than $1500. As all components will be at the expense of the teams, a budget limit is imposed to ensure a level playing field.

Is it essential to have an official team supervisor from our university staff?

Yes, this is a requirement of the competition. Each university will be required to have at least one staff supervisor contact us by June 3rd for a progress update to ensure that the team(s) will meet the requirements and rules of the challenge and be ready by the final.

What components can be used? Can a robot kit/commercial robot chassis or similar be used?

Any components can be used, as long as they meet the rules and stay within the budget.

Are there software or processing restrictions?

None. Any programming language, software or processing regime may be used, including off board. However, any off board links must be wireless and present at the event, cloud based solutions are on a case by case basis.

Are postgraduates allowed to participate?

This competition is designed for undergraduate students, therefore in the undergraduate category a maximum of 1 postgraduate student is allowed per team. However, we do have a Higher Degree Research category where the entire team can be postgraduates.

Can we use any sensors/actuators we wish?

Vision should be the main navigation sensing method, but it may be supplemented with other sensing methods. LiDARS, GPS and over head camera systems are not allowed. Any motors etc. may be used.

Basically if it can fit on the robot with no external wires and vision is the primary navigation system, you can use it.

Is the source of energy limited i.e. batteries only?

The source of energy is not limited to batteries. Try to avoid things like huge capacitors due to the risk of them blowing up. Please be aware of the restrictions/requirements for shipping for airlines regarding batteries as you will need to adhere to these requirements when shipping/accompanying your robot to the challenge. Do not rely on solar power as the competition is indoors.

What is the race track surface like?

The track is on your common hard rubber lab flooring. It will be held in O134, this is indoors and is almost completely flat with minor imperfections. We would recommend soft, wide rubber tyres at least 5cm in diameter like those found on remote controlled toy cars etc. The surface can make RC Cars drift really well.

 What can I do if I want to start preparing now?

This website and the droid racing pages will be regularly updated with more information. You can also explore OpenCV, a well known computer vision library available for a number of platforms. You can investigate the type of sensors you might like to use for obstacle avoidance. You can think about what kind of mechanical design will be fastest. There are also previous years’ photos and videos on Facebook and YouTube to explore. And you can contact us for more information.