Junior Drone Race

Junior Drone Race — TechTrix'26 is a competitive drone racing event hosted at I.T.S Engineering College, Greater Noida, as part of the TechTrix'26 technology festival organised by the Navrachna Foundation For Entrepreneurship Development.

What it is Teams of two design, build, and pilot a custom drone through a timed obstacle course, demonstrating speed, maneuverability, precision, and responsible flying. The course is revealed only at the venue, so pilots must adapt on the spot. Safe operation is weighted as heavily as raw speed.

Who it's for Engineering students, drone hobbyists, FPV pilots, and hardware/robotics builders looking to test their builds in a competitive, judged environment. Teams of exactly 2 participants.

Drone & Team Requirements

• Team size: 2 participants
• Maximum frame size: 250 mm (a separate specification lists a 450 mm maximum wheelbase)
• Maximum weight: approximately 800 gm including battery (alternate spec: ~1.5 kg including battery)
• Battery: up to 6S
• FPV cameras and headset goggles/displays optional but recommended
• Each team may register up to 2 drone models, verified by the Inspection Committee; swaps allowed before the race or between qualification/elimination rounds
• A damaged or lost drone may be replaced with a further model before the official start time

Pre-Competition Safety & Inspection All drones must pass a test flight before the event. Every drone undergoes an airworthiness inspection covering materials, workmanship, and radio installation. Pilots must demonstrate correct arming/disarming and failsafe behaviour (loss of radio link) with propellers off. Any drone judged unsafe or unairworthy will not be permitted to fly.

Flight Rules

• Arena and course revealed at the venue
• Freestyle flight must not exceed 50 ft in height
• Minimum 6 ft (7 ft recommended) from the flight line to any human-occupied area, unless the course is netted
• Drones may only be powered up in the designated Start/Finish area
• Pilots fly only from the designated Pilot Area and land only in the designated landing area
• No entry into the flight area while a drone is airborne; intentional interference is prohibited
• Spotters/teammates may stand with the pilot in the allocated area
• Damaged propellers, loose batteries, or unsafe wiring must be corrected before flight; officials may stop a flight immediately if unsafe

Judging Criteria Ranking is based on total course time — raw flight time plus accumulated penalties:

• Obstacle touches: +2 seconds per touch
• Strategic skips: +20 seconds per skipped obstacle (maximum 2 skips per run)
• Hand touches: +15 seconds per reset (maximum 3 per run; a 4th results in immediate DNF for that round)

Disqualification Exceeding frame size or weight limits, failing airworthiness inspection, a 4th hand touch in a single run, powering up outside the designated Start/Finish area, flying or landing outside designated zones, intentional interference with another pilot's equipment, poor conduct or abusive language, or failing to follow a safety official's order. The judge's decision is final and binding; a penalized team may present their case to the Judge and Event Coordinators, but the final verdict rests with the organizers.

Prizes & Prize Pool

• 1st prize: ₹7,000 cash + Trophy + Medal
• 2nd prize: ₹5,000 cash + Trophy + Medal
• 3rd prize: ₹3,000 cash + Trophy + Medal
• Total prize pool: ₹15,000

Participant Opportunities Credential sponsorship worth up to ₹15,00,000, event certificates via TruScholar's blockchain-powered digital credential platform, lifetime access to the TruScholar Smart Credential Wallet, an AI-powered Career Coach, an AI-based Interview Preparation Tool, TruResume (ATS-friendly AI resume builder), and an integrated job and internship portal.

Logistics

• Date: 22 October 2026
• Time: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
• Venue: Temple Ground, I.T.S Engineering College, Greater Noida
• Registration fee: ₹300 per team (non-refundable)
• Registration deadline: 19 October 2026
• Coordinator: Mr. Deepak Kumar Prajapati

About the Organiser The Navrachna Foundation For Entrepreneurship Development is the entrepreneurship and innovation arm associated with I.T.S Engineering College, Greater Noida, running student-facing technology, innovation, and startup-oriented programmes. TechTrix is its flagship annual technical festival, bringing together competitive engineering events across robotics, drones, coding, and design.