Challenge Overview

Robots and drones are being used together to solve problems in agriculture, disaster response, search and rescue, environmental protection, construction, and many other fields. Drones can quickly collect information from above, while ground robots can travel across surfaces, carry equipment, and interact with their surroundings.

In this challenge, imagine it is 2036. Your team will explore how a drone and ground robot could work together to solve a future problem. Research how these technologies are being used today, identify a problem that could benefit from robotic collaboration, and design a future robot + drone solution.

Your goal is to answer one question:

What could a robot and drone accomplish together that would be difficult for either system to accomplish alone?

There is no single correct solution. Your team can choose the problem, environment, and type of collaboration that interests you most.

Project Requirements & Components

Your submission consists of two required parts: a visual aid that communicates your future robot + drone solution and a short video presentation. To complete this challenge and be eligible for the prizes and awards, you must successfully submit both parts.

No separate research report is required. Research should be used to inform your solution, and the sources that influenced your thinking should be documented as part of your visual aid, video, or both.

Visual Aid — Future Robot + Drone Solution

Research current and emerging uses of robots and drones, identify a meaningful future problem, and develop a proposed solution that uses an aerial drone and ground robotic system working together. Your future robot + drone solution should be communicated through your visual representation and video presentation.

Your solution must:

• Identify a specific, meaningful future problem and explain who is affected.
• Explain why the problem could benefit from robotic collaboration.
• Describe the aerial system and the role it plays.
• Describe the ground robotic system and the role it plays.
• Explain how the two systems work together.
• Explain what the systems can accomplish together that would be difficult for either system to accomplish alone.
• Consider who would use or benefit from the solution.
• Consider human involvement, safety, and limitations.
• Explain why the solution could be possible within the next 10 years.
• Create a visual aid that helps communicate your team’s thinking and explain the solution.
• Use research to inform your solution and document the sources that influenced your thinking.

Your visual representation could be a drawing, system diagram, CAD model, environment map, flowchart, storyboard, animation, 3D model, physical model, original artwork, or another format of your choice.

A working prototype is not required.

Short Video Presentation

Create a video presentation that explains your research, future problem, and proposed robot + drone solution.

The video should:

• Clearly explain the problem your team selected.
• Explain your proposed robot + drone solution.
• Clearly show what the aerial and ground systems each contribute.
• Explain how the systems work together.
• Explain who the solution helps and why it matters.
• Explain why the solution could be possible within the next 10 years.
• Use your visual representation to help explain your solution.

Your team may choose the presentation format and order that best communicates your ideas. Creativity is encouraged when it strengthens communication and understanding.

Video Submission Requirements

Maximum Video Length: 5 minutes 15 seconds, including the required beginning and ending

Beginning: Video must have a 5-second beginning that includes:

• Challenge name and season year
• Your program (e.g., RECF ADC)
• Your team number (e.g., Team 111B)

Ending: Video must have a 10-second ending that includes:

• Challenge name
• Team name and number

Video Submission: Submit a link to your video.

The video must be publicly accessible through the submitted link and viewable by judges without requiring a password or sign-in. Teams should test their submitted link before submitting.

Part 1: Define the Problem – Identify a Future Need

Imagine it is 2036. Identify a specific problem that could benefit from a drone and ground robot working together. Your problem could involve areas such as agriculture, construction, disaster response, environmental protection, emergency response, healthcare, humanitarian assistance, infrastructure inspection, public safety, search and rescue, space exploration, transportation, waterway or ocean monitoring, or another area that interests your team.

Before designing your solution, explore:

• What is the problem?
• Who is affected?
• Why is the problem difficult to solve?
• Why could a drone and ground robot be useful?
• Why would using both systems be better than using only one?

Your team should identify the problem before developing the technology solution. The goal is to design technology that addresses a need, rather than create a technology first and search for a problem afterward.

Part 2: Research and Explore – Learn From Today’s Technology

Before designing your future solution, research how robots and drones are being used together today or how current technology is moving toward this type of collaboration.

Research at least one current or emerging example.

Your research may explore:

• What problems are the systems solving?
• What does the aerial system do?
• What does the ground robotic system do?
• How do the systems communicate or share information?
• Why are both systems useful?
• What challenges or limitations exist?
• What did your team learn that influenced your future solution?

Use reliable sources and explain what you learn in your own words. Document the sources and information that influenced your thinking.

No separate research report is required. Your team will demonstrate what you learned through the proposed solution, visual representation, and video presentation.

Part 3: Design the Robot + Drone Team — Develop Your Solution

Develop an aerial drone and ground robotic system that work together to address the problem your team identified. Think about what each system does best and how their capabilities can complement one another.

The Aerial System

Consider: What does it do?

• Where does it travel?
• What does it see, sense, or measure?
• What information does it collect?
• Does it carry or deliver anything?
• How does it communicate with the ground system?

The Ground Robotic System

Consider:

• What does it do?
• Where does it travel?
• What can it sense, carry, or manipulate?
• What action does it perform?
• What information does it receive from the aerial system?

The Teamwork

Explain how the systems work together.

Consider:

• What information does each system provide?
• How do they communicate?
• How does one system help the other?
• Do they share tasks?
• Does one system guide, direct, or assist the other?
• What can they accomplish together that would be difficult for either system to accomplish alone?

Your solution should show a meaningful reason for using both systems. The drone and ground robot should have complementary roles rather than simply performing two unrelated tasks.

These questions are prompts to help your team develop your idea. Your solution does not need to address every question. Focus on the details that best explain how your robotic team works.

Part 4: Consider the Impact — Connect Your Solution to People and the Future

Consider how your solution could affect the people and environment around it.

Explain:

• Who would use the system?
• Who would benefit?
• How could it make a job safer, faster, easier, or more effective?
• What role would humans still play?
• What safety concerns or limitations should be considered?
• Why do you believe your solution could be possible within the next 10 years?

Connect to What You Know

Think about what you have learned through robotics, drones, or other experiences. How could that knowledge help you imagine or design your future robot + drone solution?

Your team may explore ideas such as communication, shared sensing, autonomous coordination, task assignment, human-robot collaboration, or other ways two different robotic systems could work together.

There is no required type of robot-drone relationship. Your team will be evaluated on the quality of your ideas and how effectively you explain the collaboration, not on the sophistication of the technology you have available today.

Part 5: Show and Share Your Solution — Create Your Visual Aid and Video

Create a visual aid that helps show your team’s thinking and explain your robot + drone solution.

Your visual aid should help your audience understand:

• The problem
• The aerial system
• The ground robotic system
• The roles of each system
• How the systems communicate or share information
• How the systems work together

The visual aid may be a drawing, system diagram, CAD model, environment map, flowchart, storyboard, animation, 3D model, physical model, original artwork, or another format of your choice.

A working prototype is not required. The goal is to create a visual aid that makes your team’s ideas easier to understand. Then create your video presentation using your research, problem, solution, and visual aid to tell the story of your project. Your presentation should help the audience understand:

• What you discovered through your research
• What problem you chose
• What you designed
• What each system contributes
• How the systems work together
• Who the solution helps and why it matters
• Why your solution could make a difference

Your team does not need to follow a specific presentation format or order. Choose an approach that best communicates your ideas. Be creative, but remember that creativity should strengthen communication rather than distract from your solution.

Video Tip

Don’t simply read your research or list technical features. Tell the story of the problem and your solution. Help your audience understand why the problem matters, what each system contributes, and why the two technologies are better together.

The goal is not to create the most elaborate video. The goal is to clearly communicate a thoughtful robot + drone solution.

Final Submission Checklist

Before submitting, make sure your team has completed:

• A future robot + drone solution that addresses a specific future problem
• Research into at least one current or emerging example of robots and drones working together
• Documentation of the sources that influenced your team’s thinking
• A visual aid that clearly communicates the problem, systems, and how they work together
• An explanation of what the aerial system contributes and what the ground robotic system contributes
• An explanation of how the systems communicate, coordinate, or share information
• Consideration of who benefits from the solution, along with human involvement, safety, and limitations
• An explanation of why the solution could be possible within the next 10 years
• A video presentation that communicates the team’s research, problem, solution, collaboration, and impact
• A video that meets all video submission requirements
• A publicly accessible video link that has been tested before submission

Challenge Success

Your team will be successful if you can demonstrate, not just describe, how an aerial system and a ground robotic system could work together to solve a meaningful future problem.

The strongest projects will show a clear understanding of the problem, thoughtful use of research, meaningful collaboration between the aerial and ground systems, and consideration of the people who could benefit from the solution. Strong projects will also clearly communicate why the proposed solution could be possible within the next 10 years.

Remember, the goal is not to design the most complicated robot or drone. The goal is to imagine a team of technologies where each system does what it does best. The future of robotics may not be about one machine doing everything. The future may be about different robotic systems working together.

The future isn’t one robot. It’s a team! What could your robot + drone team accomplish?