Tokyo qualification.

Preliminary participation

For a podium route, a team must participate in at least one recognised preliminary event.

Local participation remains open to beginners entering just one challenge. The additional conditions below apply to Tokyo selection.

Counting distinct challenges

Across all routes, a team must participate in at least three distinct challenges. Podium routes still require qualifying results in at least two distinct challenges; the additional participation does not need a podium. Remote applications must provide evidence for at least three distinct challenges.

Single Robot ground (car) and aerial (drone) challenges count separately. FPV, semi-autonomous and autonomous modes also count separately, including within the same navigation discipline. Results may come from one recognised preliminary or across different recognised preliminaries. Repeating a challenge at another event or changing only its level does not create another distinct challenge.

Simulation categories

HERO Explorer includes three additional simulation categories: FPV flight, ground vehicle and Drone Soccer. A simulation category counts only when it is announced as qualifying before the event and follows the simulation section in Single Robot.

A team may use at most one simulation category toward Tokyo qualification. It must be combined with physical-robot challenges or approved remote evidence for them.

Verified results & invitations

Meeting a qualifying podium route guarantees a Tokyo place once the official results are verified. The podium finishes may come from the same recognised preliminary or different recognised preliminaries. Qualifying categories must be announced before the event.

The qualification committee verifies the recognised event, category, level and podium records, then issues the captain an invitation to register the team for Tokyo.

Tokyo competition levels

For Tokyo Explorer, a team needs two Explorer podiums or one Explorer podium and one Pro podium.

For Tokyo Pro, a team needs either two Pro podium finishes, or one Pro podium finish and two Explorer podium finishes. The shared challenge-counting requirement above applies to both options. Explorer-only results do not qualify for a Pro place.

The invitation specifies the applicable Tokyo level.

Local programmes & safety

One qualification policy and the four shared technical rulebooks apply across locations. A city does not need to offer every Tokyo challenge; its event page lists the programme offered there.

Local organisers may design their courses, obstacles and schedules. They must publish event-specific details in advance and follow the common safety requirements and qualification policy.

Courses and raw scores are not assumed to be identical or directly comparable across cities.

PDF and video evidence · planned

This route is for teams unable to attend a local preliminary and Explorer-qualified teams seeking Pro qualification. Teams will use a separate application with one PDF per selected challenge and level, including mission video links and technical documentation. The qualification committee assesses the evidence against common criteria for the selected challenges and levels.

Passing the approved evidence assessment will earn a Tokyo place and a registration invitation. A team does not need to register for a city it will not attend.

Remote submissions are not open. Evaluation criteria, passing thresholds, level requirements and deadlines must be approved and published before applications begin.