Choose FPV, semi-autonomous or autonomous control for an air or ground entry. Each entry uses one vehicle, with its own course and results. Cooperative missions follow the Multi-Robot rules.
Figure 1. Air and ground mission sequences.
SR §11 Purpose and scope
HERO Challenge is a multidisciplinary educational event combining aerial and ground robots with practical work in mechanics, electronics, programming and communication. HERO Explorer and HERO Pro divisions are available. Students may choose their level and explore other challenges.
Workshops are optional and cover equipment setup and course practice. Multi-Robot, Drone Soccer and CanSat have separate rulebooks.
HERO Explorer and HERO Pro are offered in all three control modes for air and ground entries, with separate rankings. Sections 3-5 cover FPV; Section 11 covers semi-autonomous and autonomous operation.
SR §22 Teams and participation
HERO Explorer is introductory and HERO Pro is advanced; these are difficulty levels, not age groups. Mixed high-school/university and multidisciplinary teams are welcome. Choose a division for each entry; teams may enter different divisions across challenges, or both through separate entries.
Register students, captain, modality, control mode, division and equipment. Each student may join one team per modality, control mode and division. One pilot/operator runs each entry, controlling manual phases and monitoring automatic ones. A safety observer watches directly and may call STOP or warn of danger, not give route instructions. Teams with high-school members need an adult supervisor; under-18 participants need guardian consent.
Use approved shared, commercial or student-built vehicles; building from scratch is optional. Shared-platform entries use the same approved configuration. Brands may differ within a technical class; unlike classes have separate results.
SR §33 FPV control and live video
Figure 2. FPV control and live video, with a safety observer.
FPV requires live onboard video to goggles or a screen; recording is optional. The pilot steers throughout, with permitted stabilisation or assistance for the class. Automatic mission tasks follow Section 11.
Declare controller, receiver, camera, video band and power. Equipment must meet host-country and university requirements. The Frequency Coordinator approves settings and transmission. Keep video transmitters off in the pits; no unapproved channel changes or interference.
On control-link loss, ground propulsion stops within one second; aircraft execute the inspected failsafe in Section 8. If video fails, stop the car or recover and land the drone safely. A safety recovery ends the scored FPV attempt.
SR §44 FPV Air
Fly the published gate sequence from the onboard view, then land in the finish zone. This is an individual time trial: one aircraft is active on the course. Practice flights are separate from the two scored attempts.
Figure 3. Example air course; layout and dimensions are illustrative.
Aircraft requirements
- Under 100 g
- Ready to fly
- Full propeller guards
- or ducts
- Secured battery
- Visible team + aircraft ID
- 150 mm max.
- Between opposite motor centres
- Live onboard video
- Pilot control + motor-stop switch
These size and mass limits apply to all Single Robot Air entries and Multi-Robot UAVs. They are HERO limits, not a universal sporting class. The camera and pilot-control requirements above apply to FPV; automatic modes follow Section 11. Approved battery and propulsion classes may differ.
Completing the flight
Place the aircraft in the marked start zone. The clock starts at the official signal, before takeoff. Pass each gate fully in its marked direction and order. Correct a missed or reversed gate while the clock continues, as in the iDrone obstacle-course format [1]. A required gate left uncorrected means an incomplete flight.
Finish when the whole aircraft is stationary on the landing zone and its motors are disarmed. A landing outside the zone must be corrected within the run time. Remain inside the approved flight volume. Officials stop the attempt for escape, loss of control or damage that makes further flight unsafe.
SR §55 FPV Ground
For FPV Ground, drive through the marked gates and checkpoints using the onboard camera. The published course gives their order and the start and finish positions. One vehicle runs at a time; simultaneous car racing needs a separately announced heat format.
Figure 4. Example ground course and finish-zone check.
Vehicle requirements
- Event-approved class
- Wheeled vehicle · size + performance
- Live video
- Secure forward-looking camera
- Secure build
- Battery + camera fixed
- Stop within 1 s
- Propulsion stops on control-link loss
- Pilot control
- Steering/throttle + E-stop
Declare model, dimensions, mass, battery, motor system and speed setting.
Ground classes specify permitted dimensions, mass, battery and speed setting. RC cars and compact rovers may use different classes; the camera and controller must be suitable for the declared mode.
Completing the drive
The clock starts at the official signal. Follow the published route, crossing each checkpoint boundary in order. The course may include slalom, narrow passages and a gentle ramp suitable for the approved vehicles. Reverse or retry if needed; the clock keeps running. An incorrect checkpoint adds 15 seconds and an omitted checkpoint adds 30 seconds. Deliberate shortcuts end the run.
Finish when the whole vehicle is stationary inside the finish zone. There is no extra parking manoeuvre unless the published course requires one. A spin or stall may be recovered by radio control while safe; nobody may pick up or reposition the car during a scored attempt.
SR §66 Attempts and results
Figure 5. Attempt procedure.
Each entry receives two scored attempts on the same course. Report within 3 minutes of being called; an absent entry is recorded as DNS (did not start). Officials allow up to 5 minutes for setup, then confirm the pilot, spotter, vehicle, radio assignment and clear course.
The run limit is 5 minutes. Start only on the official signal. Finish as defined in Section 4, 5 or 11; the referee records elapsed time and penalties. Stop propulsion before anyone enters to recover equipment. A fresh battery may be fitted between attempts.
Ranking
Adjusted time = elapsed course time + penalty seconds. The lower adjusted time wins; the better completed attempt counts. A DNF is recorded as 360 seconds plus penalties and always ranks below a completed run. An entry with no completed attempt receives no completed-run placing. DNS means did not start; disqualified attempts receive no score.
For a tie, compare penalty seconds, raw time and then the other completed attempt if both entries have one. The Technical Committee resolves a remaining tie and may schedule a rerun. Rank HERO Explorer and HERO Pro, air and ground, each control mode and unlike platform classes separately. No autonomy multiplier applies to these single-robot time trials.
SR §77 Penalties
| Incident | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Incorrect / omitted ground checkpoint | +15 / +30 seconds |
| Collision / displacement of a course element | +10 / +15 seconds |
| Leaving the marked ground course | +15 seconds; return at the exit point if safe |
| Uncorrected required aerial gate or required automatic task | DNF |
| Unauthorised vehicle handling | Attempt ends as DNF |
| Battery or vehicle change during the run | Attempt disqualified |
| Unauthorised radio transmission | Warning; second breach: attempt disqualification; third: division disqualification. Count breaches for that entry in the same modality and division throughout the competition; reset for a different modality or division. |
| Unsafe operation or interference | Immediate stop; possible category disqualification |
Apply one penalty per incident; displacement replaces collision. Shortcuts and aerial escape end the run. Recall false starts; repeated intentional early movement may disqualify the attempt.
SR §88 Safety and inspection
Inspect every vehicle before practice: approved class, guards, structural condition, battery retention, radio configuration, identification, emergency stop and failsafe. Check live video for FPV phases and every required automatic task for semi-autonomous or autonomous entries. Demonstrate link-loss behaviour safely, with propellers removed or as directed by inspectors. Material changes require reinspection.
Ground vehicles must stop propulsion within one second of losing a motion-critical control or safety link. Aircraft must use a declared, inspected link-loss response suited to their controller and flight area: controlled landing when supported, or motor stop only where the Safety Officer approves the resulting fall inside containment. Declare the detection delay and response; holding the last motion command indefinitely is not allowed. Automatic flight requires an accessible safety abort. Loss of optional telemetry alone need not abort a safely autonomous mission.
Drone practice and competition use an approved enclosed flight area, including overhead containment. Guards do not replace separation from people or venue approval. Ground courses use non-damaging barriers and a clear recovery area; the Safety Officer approves operating speed. Pilots, spotters and spectators remain outside; enter only after the referee confirms propulsion is stopped.
Reject damaged, swollen or overheating batteries. Charge under supervision in the designated area with a suitable charger and manufacturer limits; protect spare-pack terminals and use appropriate fire-resistant storage. Do not change batteries during a scored attempt. Report incidents and near-misses to the Safety Officer.
SR §99 Officials and preparation
The referee records runs; the Frequency Coordinator controls transmission; the Safety Officer may stop unsafe activity. The registered captain may submit a written protest within 15 minutes of result publication, without a fee. It may concern rule application, procedure or a recording/calculation error. Referee judgements of observed play stand unless official evidence establishes a clear error. The Technical Committee reviews the relevant rule and available official records and issues a final written decision. The English rules govern.
A hold or rerun is allowed for an organiser or field fault, not a team equipment failure. Exclude official hold time; rerun if the course cannot be restored fairly. After a material layout change, rerun affected entries or score them in a separate heat.
Register through the competition page for equipment allocations and workshop times. Students may practise with their allocated equipment; workshop attendance gives no ranking advantage.
SR §1010 Course and class information
HERO Explorer uses a clear route, wider gates and gentle obstacles, with straightforward tasks. HERO Pro may use tighter clearances, linked manoeuvres and more demanding task interpretation. Both divisions offer FPV, semi-autonomous and autonomous entries with the same drone envelope. HERO Pro does not require full autonomy or a larger platform. Final layouts and settings follow Annex A; Sections 6-8 apply to both.
Equipment classes and eligibility are published before entries open. Final course layouts, division settings, interfaces and scoring clarifications are published at least four weeks before the first competition day. Rules and these specifications are then frozen; later changes are limited to law, safety or essential venue operation and are notified to all registered teams. Event times remain provisional until the final timetable is issued.
SR §1111 Semi autonomous and autonomous operation
Semi-autonomous and autonomous entries have separate rankings from FPV and from each other. Semi-autonomous entries complete a declared navigation or recognition task automatically; the operator may control the remaining phases. Stabilisation, altitude/position hold or automatic takeoff/landing alone does not qualify. Autonomous entries execute the complete course automatically; human input is limited to a safety abort.
HERO Explorer follows a short predefined route with simple takeoff, navigation and landing or stopping tasks; complex visual recognition is not required. HERO Pro may add marker recognition, checkpoint decisions or a more demanding route. Final tasks follow Section 10.
Mission setup and control
Load the published route and run instructions before staging. Officials supply this information directly, not through a second robot. The course brief defines the required automatic tasks and manual phases for each semi-autonomous class. Declare task start/end conditions and mode transitions; do not change the programme or task selection during the run. Human steering or mission input during an automatic task is prohibited. Autonomous entries allow one declared start command and no later human mission input.
Onboard processing or automatic commands from a declared external computer are allowed. Declare computers, sensors, links and software. Semi-autonomous manual phases may use direct view or declared FPV; FPV phases require live onboard video. Video is optional for automatic tasks, which must not depend on an operator interpreting images to direct movement.
Air mission
Take off, complete the published gate or navigation tasks and land fully in the finish zone with motors disarmed. Automatic correction is allowed while the clock continues. An uncorrected required aerial gate or required automatic task is DNF. Use only the approved flight volume and inspected abort or termination behaviour.
Ground mission
Navigate through the published gates, checkpoints and obstacles, then stop fully inside the finish zone. Automatic reversing or correction is allowed while safe. Apply Section 7 ground penalties; a required automatic task left uncompleted is DNF. The course brief specifies task validation.
Verification and results
Sections 6-9 apply: two attempts, five minutes each, time plus penalties, and no battery or vehicle changes during a run. Declare and demonstrate the required automatic tasks and safety abort before practice. Officials verify execution using observations, status displays or timestamped logs; no specific sensor or software stack is required.
A safety abort or takeover ends the attempt as DNF. Non-safety human steering or mission input during a required automatic task, or after the start of a fully autonomous mission, disqualifies the attempt. Declared manual phases in a semi-autonomous entry are permitted. Demonstrations without the required automatic tasks remain outside the rankings.
Technical annex A Single robot classes and courses
| Check | Specification or declaration |
|---|---|
| Divisions | HERO Explorer: clear routes, wider gates and straightforward tasks. HERO Pro: more demanding navigation or recognition. Both offer FPV, semi-autonomous and autonomous modes, with separate rankings. |
| Entry | Declare HERO Explorer or HERO Pro; Air or Ground; FPV, Semi-autonomous or Autonomous; platform class, vehicle, team, pilot/operator and safety observer. |
| Air class | Maximum 150 mm motor-to-motor diagonal; ready-to-fly mass under 100 g, including battery, guards, camera, antennas and mission equipment. The same envelope applies to Single Robot and Multi-Robot; approved battery and propulsion classes keep unlike platforms separate. |
| Ground class | Teams declare overall length, width, height, mass, motor type, battery and speed capability. Organisers publish the admitted size, mass and speed limits in the class specification. |
| Radio and video | Teams declare controller, receiver, control band, video band/channel and power, telemetry and any external processing link. Organisers approve settings and allocate channels. |
| Course drawing | Organisers provide the boundary, start and finish zones, numbered gates/checkpoints, permitted direction, clear opening sizes, obstacle geometry and authorised flight height. |
| Run-specific tasks | The course brief specifies instructions, task validation and consequences. Semi-autonomous classes also specify the required automatic tasks, manual phases and mode transitions. |
| Finish and validation | Air: whole aircraft stationary in the landing zone, motors disarmed. Ground: whole vehicle stationary inside the finish zone. |
| Safety test | Teams declare detection delay, ground stop or aircraft failsafe, emergency abort and power isolation. Demonstrate safely under Section 8; no indefinite last-command hold. |
Measure the fully equipped vehicle. Motor diagonal is between opposite motor centres; also declare overall guarded dimensions for gate clearance. Illustrations do not set dimensions. Equipment classes precede entry opening; final course specifications follow the four-week publication rule in Section 10.
Resources for teams
[2] MultiGP class specifications. Comparable platform classes and controlled video links.
Competition information: hmds2027.org/competition
PX4 mission mode documentation Optional aerial mission implementation
Navigation2 Optional ground navigation implementation
Simulation
HERO ExplorerScored simulations are separate from open practice and physical-robot categories. Only categories announced before competition produce official results.
Categories
- FPV flight: fly through gates, markers or waypoints.
- Ground vehicle: drive through checkpoints and obstacles.
- Drone Soccer: play the announced match or scored task in the designated simulator.
The event notice defines valid passage, checkpoint completion, penalties and finish conditions. For Drone Soccer, it also specifies individual entries or teams of up to three, match length, goals and resets.
Event configuration
Before registration closes, the organiser publishes:
- the simulator, version and course or arena;
- the permitted controller and whether equipment is supplied;
- practice availability, attempt count and time limit;
- scoring, penalties, tie-breaks and any accessibility adjustment;
- whether the category is an announced Tokyo-qualifying category.
Every entrant at the same event receives the same official configuration and a comparable opportunity to practise.
Supervised attempts
An authorised official starts and observes each scored attempt. Macros, replay files, automated control, modified physics and outside coaching are prohibited unless expressly permitted by the published configuration. The organiser records the competitor, configuration, score, penalties and final rank.
Accessibility adjustments must preserve the task and be approved and recorded before the attempt.
Scoring and ranking
Navigation ranks mission completion or points first, then elapsed time and the announced tie-break. Drone Soccer uses the announced match points and tie-break sequence. A different transparent scoring order is allowed if published before registration closes and applied consistently.
Tokyo qualification uses official event ranks, not comparisons of raw scores across different courses or configurations.