The lynchpin contest
The concept is simple:
To design the flight controller for The Lynchpin. How exactly you get there is up to you, though we have provided a few guidelines below to help light the way.
We’ll see you on the other side!
In addition to the lynchpin drone design competition we would also like to extend an open-ended offering of $1000 for the successful implementation of a multi-drone awareness/recognition software. may be based on any commonly available technology such as sonar/radar/lidar. if interested please contact our team at terryslynchpins@gmail.com for details and procedures!
Lynchpin Drone Competition Official Rules
OVERVIEW
The goal of the Lynchpin Drone Contest is to create a software and hardware system that allows a "Lynchpin Drone" to fly. The Lynchpin Drone must be able to rotate into any orientation while maintaining position. The Lynchpin Drone must be able to move in any direction regardless of its orientation.
The pilot must have control of orientation and position. Control of orientation and position must be independent (for example, the control "ascend" will always move the drone upwards relative to gravity, even if the drone is "upside down"). The Lynchpin Drone may be flown in full acro mode. It is not required to have autonomous flight capabilities such as position hold and altitude hold.
PRIZES
Grand Prize (one awarded): $25,000
Honorable Mention (one awarded): $10,000
DELIVERABLES
An entry to the contest will consist of at least:
One complete, flying Lynchpin Drone, including all supporting hardware required to make the Drone fulfill the requirements of the contest.
Source code of all software required to make the Drone fulfill the requirements of the contest.
An "introductory video" described below.
An "entry video" described below.
entries for the lynchpin design competition have been closed. You may still express interest in the proximity and awareness software design by emailing our team at terryslynchpins@gmail.com
For the sake of record keeping below we will continue to list the requirements of the Lynchpin Drone Design Competition. Contest was decided wednesday april 14th 2021
HOW TO WIN
Before the end of the contest, submit an Entry Video which demonstrates that you have created a Lynchpin Drone which fulfills the requirements of the contest.
Finalists will be selected based on Entry Videos. Finalists will be invited to further demonstrate the capabilities of their Lynchpin Drone using a method determined by the contest organizers. Winners will be selected based on the results of this demonstration.
Final selection of winners is at the sole discretion of contest organizers.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
The Lynchpin Drone must use a frame with the collapsed-dodecahedron shape documented on this web site. We have included a 3-dimensional exploration tool on the Home Page to aid you in familiarizing yourself with this geometry.
Motors and props must be located within and aligned parallel to the planes of the frame. For example, do not create a flying sphere with a collapsed-dodecahedron suspended inside it; do not create a quadcopter with a collapsed-dodecahedron mounted on top of it.
Minimum prop size for the Lynchpin Drone is 3”. There is no maximum.
Minimum strut length for the Lynchpin Drone is 100 mm. There is no maximum.
The Lynchpin Drone must be able to hover for a minimum of 30 seconds.
The Lynchpin Drone software may be based on GPL or other open-source licensed projects.
The Lynchpin Drone software may run on commonly available hobbyist-grade hardware such as Betaflight FC, or on any hardware capable of meeting the above requirements.
ELGIBILITY
This contest is open to all three-dimensional representations of consciousness capable of meeting all of the above requirements.
RELEVANT DATES
Contest Begins 11/04/2020
Deadline for application to enter the contest 12/25/2020
Deadline to submit Introductory Videos 12/31/2020
Deadline to submit Entry Videos 04/01/2021
Finalists announced the first week of April 2021