Therefore to increase efficiency, four teams will be allowed to set up for their runs simultaneously, but at one of the four corners of the single arena. When a team is ready to fly, the clocks for the other teams will be stopped and only the clock for the team that is flying will continue to run (this is the same procedure as we have used in past years, the only difference is that the single arena will be shared from four vantage points).
The reason that I am explaining all of this now is that your starting point could be one of 4 locations, and your flight operation will be relative to that starting point. I think that it would be best to identify a single coordinate reference point (e.g., the exact center of the arena) so everyone (no matter which corner they start from) will be using the same reference when computing drum locations.
The GPS coordinate for the center will be determined when the arena is set up and the boundary lines surveyed in. This center point will be clearly marked so those using GPS can place their aerial robot over that point and measure for themselves what the GPS coordinate is with an accuracy much better than the meter resolution called for by the rules.
I will be traveling down to EPCOT fairly soon to meet with the Disney coordinator so we can work out logistics issues such as "how are we going to get you fed," "where power drops will be," "issuing of parking passes," etc. When I am there, I will determine the ROUGH orientation of the arena (within several degrees) so that I can report back to you where things are relative to NORTH.
Mapping of the drums should be relative to the exact center of the arena and be done in X-Y coordinates reative to that center (for example, 2 meters X, -4 meters Y relative to center). The X and Y directions will be relative to the rectangular arena sides. I will provide a map showing the sense of X and Y, but remember, you will need to be prepared to operate from any corner of the arena.
Here is a summary of the changes that we need to accomodate now that Disney has approved our arena location at EPCOT:
1. There will be only one arena.
2. Each team will operate from one of the four corners of the arena and the precise corner that a given team will operate from will not be revealed until the day of the competition.
3. Mapping of the drums will now be relative to the exact center of the arena rather than the starting corner.
4. Coordinates will be cartesian (X, Y, with the origin at the geometric center of the arena).
5. Drum locations will be expressed in meters, or fractions thereof.
6. The center of the arena will be marked so you can calibrate your systems prior to your runs.
Georgia Tech Research Institute Aerospace Sciences Laboratory (AERO-CCRF) 7220 Richardson Road Smyrna, Georgia 30080 robert.michelson@gtri.gatech.edu Voice: (770) 528-7568