The Grenada High School NJROTC continues its year of competition next month with three teams taking part in the World Drone Competition and a team competing in the World Robotics competition. Both events will take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Dallas Convention center in downtown Dallas, Texas.
Competition begins with the robotics from May 3-5, followed by the drones on May 10-12. Teams from all over the world will compete for the title.
Prior to the competition, teams have to put together a brief on their drone. Upon arrival, the drones are inspected. Teams have to also complete a notebook on their drone.
“I just sent those notebooks off to be judged last week,” NJROTC Head Chief Reese Foreman said. “It tells the judges everything done on the drone from start to finish. They receive a point total from that.”
Pilots are judged by their flying skills, along with their drone’s ability to do certain things that are programmed into them. This is called the skills stage. Robotics had the same type competition involving picking up goals and rings.
“They have three chances to do the skills stage,” Foreman said. “Points are awarded by what they can do.”
Foreman said teams are also judged on the camaraderie with other teams in the competition, along with their setup tables displayed throughout the Convention Center.
“How you help other teams is important in the competition, along with sportsmanship,” he said. “They also judge you on your setup table that talks about your hometown. You have a lot of different areas that are judged to determine your final point total.”
A total of 12 students will compete with the robotics team and 16 students for the drone team. In the World Competition, a total of 100 teams will vie for the title, while 4,000 robotics teams will fight for bragging rights.
Foreman feels good about his teams chances in the event.
“I feel good about all of our teams,” he said. “The drone teams compete with teams from all over the world. The robotic teams come together and make changes to make the robots better.”
Sophomore Baily Bowen, who is one of the pilots of the drones, said points can be obtained for the skills competition in two different ways. The course is 28-feet by 28-feet and is made up of red and blue goal areas and red and blue neutral zones.
The competition has 36 small balls and five large balls. Teams score points by using the downdraft from the drone to push the balls into the goals. The small balls score two points, while the large balls score five points. Small balls in a floor goal score one point, while large balls score three points. Teams can also score 15 points for landing on the landing strip or the neutral areas.
“You can take points away from the opponent or gain points by getting your balls into the goals,” Bowen said. “If you crash while trying to take your opponents points, then you are out of the competition. There’s a lot of risk, but a lot of reward if you get your opponents points.”
Members of the drone teams include Team A, which is made up of Tyner Kelly, Avery McMechan, Kendall Busby and Ian McCullough. Team B is made up of Baily Bowen, Aiden Carollo, Phillip Crawford and Chris Turner. Team C members include Patrick Chaney, Benjamin O’Brien, Bryce Lee and Bryson Flowers. Team D is made up of Gabriela Fedrick, Meegan Palmertree, Summer Boatman and Peyton Nichols.
The Robotic Team has members of Arron Hanley, Tyner Kelly, Avery McMechan, Kendall Busby, Ian McCullough, Phillip Crawford, Gabriela Fedrick, Summer Boatman, Benjamin O’Brien, Byrson Flowers, Patrick Chaney and Bryce Lee.
The group is still looking for financial assistance for expenses incurred on the trip. Those interested can contact Lori Chavis at (843) 424-6464.
