FAQ

This is an overview of frequently asked questions about the NFC which will be regularly updated and extended.

Feel free to ask any questions via our contact form.

Who can participate in the New Flying Competition?

Participants of the New Flying Competiton have to be enrolled as degree seeking students in a university. Every team is allowed to have one PhD-student as a team member.

If you presumably graduate inbefore the actual date of the competition (22 - 26 September 2022) you can still participate if your graduation does not take place more than 8 months prior to the competition.

Who is going to evaluate the reports and the flight-performance of the teams?

There will be an independent jury - the so-called Advisory Council - consisting of representatives of the aviation-industry and experts in model-aviation.

How does the competition benefit myself as a participant?

During several stages of the event you will face situations in which you have to take responsibilities but also times you and your team are forced to make compromises in order to achieve a mutual goal.

Furthermore you will be able to make contact with numerous other aviations enthusiasts from all over the world and representatives of our partners and sponsors from the aircraft industry.

Is it possible to improve an existing design of a model-aircraft or does every team have to design a completely new model?
It is possible to improve an existing design if it fulfills all the criteria given in the Task and the Rules. For example, you cannot attach a payload-box to the outside of your aircraft to carry the payload. If you improve an existing design you still have to present your calculations and design to the jury in form of the Preliminary and the Final Design Report.

FAQ NFC2022 

Is it possible to use a “tailsitter configuration” i.e. the Payload box is fixed in the Aircraft and aligned with the Fuselage but is only level during cruise flight?

To avoid misunderstandings, every aircraft configuration with VTOL capability is eligible, compare 4.3 Model specification, Aircraft type

Is the „Cruise flight for distance route 10.000m” included in the Survey Flight or do we have to fly 10.000m before starting with the survey Flight?

For flight concerns, please check cruise flight and mission flight in 4.7 Competition Flight

Are there possible reflections on the target? Can you describe the material and the surface of the targets?

Reflections cannot be ruled out. In order to present a realistic representation of a search mission, we can only provide more details on the day of the flight competition.

Are GPS reference stations allowed to be used? How do you measure the location of each landmark precisely?

Of course, it is up to you how you want to solve the problem and we will measure the location of each target very carefully. On the competition day we will provide more information about the representation of the measurement.

Considering the given dimensions of the search area (1200m x 400m) it seems that will lose line of sight to the aircraft once in a while. Is that considered?

Is the attached assumption of the search area correct?

Thank you for pointing out the ‘line of sight’ of the competition model aircraft during the flight. Flights in previous competitions have shown that similar distances or areas were flown. However, we will take care not to exhaust the specified search area to the maximum, also taking into account the regulations in force at the time of the competition. Thank you for your assumption of the search area.

Where is the search area located? Is the search area connected to the cruise area?

The search area may be connected to the cruise area. We will make sure that both areas are not far from each other.

Can we use secondary telemetry modules on frequencies other than 2.4ghz for redundancy as long as they are compliant with German legal requirements?

Yes, you can. Use i.e. the Pixhawk telemetry module with 433MHz and a maximum transmission power of 100mW.

How is our energy consumption measured in flight? 

At the end we measure the total energy consumption. To do this, we will connect a sensor to the XT90 connector or you can give us telemetry data from the Pixhawk system, among other things. We also note the remaining capacity of the flight battery.

Can we use LiPoHV XT90 batteries such as Turnigy Bolt Batteries or must they strictly be LiPo only? 

Yes, you can use this type of battery.

Can we use more than one LiPo battery for our propulsion power? (ie, two battery packs in parallel, or one only? 

Yes, you can have more than one battery pack for your propulsion and it is up to you to use them in parallel.

Flying with FPV is permitted or is NOT permitted AND using 5.8GHz is permitted or NOT permitted? 

It is not allowed to use FPV to control the model. However, it can be used in a supportive manner and only by means of a monitor and not FPV goggles. 

We would also like to know more specific information about the search area, specifically the location of the border lines of the search area for the definition of the flight mission in case there will be obstacles in the search area, eg trees, so we can determine right flight path.

 As mentioned in the competition flight in 4.7, a minimum flight altitude above ground of 50m must be observed. 

Additionally we would like to use an advanced plane monitoring system which requires use of computers and monitors.

Do these count as additional tools?

It is allowed to use telemetry systems as well as loggers.

We have a little trouble understanding rules regarding no tools within flight zone and the 2.4GHz radio. 

Our design includes the need of additional radio communication on 5.8GHz bandwidth because we belive it would be safer and beneficial for us to fly with FPV since the plane will be far away from pilot while searching.

Servos and motors will still be controlled by 2.4GHz communication.

The task specifically for mission flight is basically designed in such a way that no additional FPV is required. Based on the model specification in 4.3, a radio control system is sufficient.

In registration form on your website https://www.newflyingcompetition.com/apply-1/ there is mentioned Team size (total number).. does it mean the number of all people in our team or people that will go to Hamburg (example 20 team members but only 5 will go to Hamburg so you mean the number 20 right?)

The mentioned size refers to the number of members who come to Hamburg (in your Example 5).

How is the search area oriented and where is the starting and landing zone located with respect to the search area (I mean is it in the middle, near the corners or where, in NFC rules is written around 350m from the starting point on the airfield, but this is relative)?

The search area is separated from the take-off and landing area in order to map a similar Search & Resscue mission profile. The search area probably has the shape of a rectangle and a corner is relative to the starting point. The starting point may be located at the middle of the EDHS Airfield.

How many flight attempts are permitted, for example first flight is not as succesfull as we planed, can we have another attempt?

Only one attempt is permitted. However, it is presumably possible (by arrangement with the Airfield resonsible) to carry out test flights on the non-competition day.

With regards to the calculation of specific energy, is the ground distance measured in kilometers or meters?

The ground distance is measured in Meters [m]. Basically SI-Units.

We are working on a Boeing 737 B max, is there any problem if we participate in your competition with this model ? Because it's not a vtol , it's a small Boeing, but it will be capable of completing all the missions of your challenge ( detecting images or tasks, flying without any problem ).

The model specification 4.3 states that the model has the VTOL capability. We have not clearly excluded NOT-VTOL models from the competition. However, it can be strongly assumed that NOT-VTOL models do not finish as well as VTOL models in scoring.

What stages of flight (takeoff, scanning area, 2.5g turn, landing) must be controlled by autopilot and which can be controlled by human pilot? 

As noted, how you conduct the flight stages is up to the Team by regarding the Task in the Competition Flight in 4.7. How you program the Flight Controller is up to you, too. However, please note the usage rights.

Can we use open-source code and bought hardware for autopilot?

As stated in 4.3 Model Speficiation we wrote Autopilot which means Flight Controller, especially to handle Multicopter Funktions. As stated in 4.7 Competition Flight it is up to the Team to perform the different flight stages manually or with the support of the Flight Controller for an automatic flight. Maybe for the search area the use of the Autopilot finctions can be beneficially. 

Would it be possible to clarify what "The use of UAS for critical missions – reliably, promptly and can be used under Nordic weather conditions" on page 5 meant exactly. Is this a specific competition requirement, and if so, does this mean that the aircraft must remain flightworthy in, for example, snowy conditions? 

When the weather in and around Hamburg presents itself from its "Nordic" side or Nordic weather conditions means clouds, light rain and sometimes strong gusts of wind at possible cool temperatures (for example 10 degrees Celsius). Therefore, the UAS should be designed accordingly…But who knows how the weather will be.

On page 7, under section 4.4, it states that the payload box (PLB) must be 1. fixed during flight, and 2. horizontal positioned. The questions we had were whether a system that allowed for the rotation of the PLB was considered 'fixed', or if, rather, 'fixed' meant that the PLB would not slide or rotate during flight in any way? 

Fixed means that after the box has been weighed by the organizer and implemented back into the UAS by the respective team, it does not move. For safety reasons, the box is prevented from having a dramatic negative impact on the center of gravity of the UAS due to improper fixation and from falling out of the UAS during flight and possibly endangering people.

Horizontal means that the box is aligned lengthways to the main flight direction or aircraft nose direction (pos. x-axis) over all flight phases. 

FAQ NFC2020

How long is the taxi distance?

Max. 20 meters.

Below you can see a map of our airfield, so you can figure out how the airport layout will be during the competition.

What are the dimensions of the flight box?

The size of the manouvering flight zone expands 1000 m x 350 m on the north side of the airfield. Take off and landing will be on the asphalt runway according to wind direction. All manouver directions follow a left- or right-hand traffic pattern on the north side of the runway accordingly. Overflying the runway to the southern side where spectators or other teams are waiting is strictly forbidden!

Is there a time limit to reach takeoff position when released from waiting point?

When cleared for lineup you must leave the holding point and reach takeoff position to be fully ready for departure within 5 minutes.

What is the surface pavement of the taxiway?

 Taxi shall only take place on taxiways of the airport where surface is asphalt.

What are the dimensions and mass of the datalogger?

 You will resceive a GPS logger from jury prior flight with dimension max. 60 x 60 x 50 mm and 200 g. It will work on its own.

What is the size of the metal plate?

 By German law your A/C must be equipped with a metal plate with holder's name. Minimum dimensions are 25 mm x 10 mm to a max. size of 40 mm x 15 mm.

Check https://www.dmfv.aero/rechtundwissen/kennzeichnungspflicht/ [unfortunately German only, but maybe google translator can help you.]

Will time be measured during loading of payload?

There will be no time recording while your loading the payload into your aircraft, but it should be within a reasonable time. This does not affect grading.

Does the XT90 battery connector has to be used or may we use a smaller version because currents are much smaller?

The XT90 connector has to be used.

Can we use FPV to fly?

 You should fly safely without FPV. But you could record your flight for evaluation purposes.

Are Li-Ion cell batteries allowed to use?

Rules of regulations states, that Li-Po cell batteries should be used for competition aircraft as these are common for model aircraft.