Guidelines UDAAN is an inter-college RC Plane Competition organised by VyomKriti, the Aeromodelling Club of NIT Delhi. The competition challenges participants to design, fabricate and operate a fixed-wing radio-controlled aircraft, with emphasis on stability, endurance, manoeuvrability and practical aircraft design skills. Eligibility The competition is open to students from all recognised colleges and universities. Teams may consist of 1 to 5 members. Students from different specialisations or academic branches may participate together. Cross-college teams are not permitted. Each team must bring its own RC aircraft and control system. All aircraft must arrive at the venue in ready-to-fly condition. Registration will be considered confirmed only after successful payment of the registration fee. All registrations will be conducted through Unstop.
Aircraft Requirements Maximum wingspan: 1.25 m
Maximum aircraft weight: 1000 g
Maximum propeller diameter: 13 inches
Maximum thrust-to-weight ratio: 1.75 Only electric propulsion is permitted. Aircraft Restrictions Readymade aircraft models, including RTF, ARF and BNF models, are not permitted. The aircraft must be fabricated by the participating team. Only electric propulsion systems may be used. IC engines are strictly prohibited. Gyroscopes are not permitted. Participants may not take assistance with receiver programming. Autonomous mission programming is not permitted. FPV systems and external flying assistance are prohibited. Pre-Flight Inspection All teams must successfully complete a mandatory pre-flight inspection before each attempt. The inspection will include verification of: Wingspan Thrust-to-weight ratio Aircraft weight Teams must be present for the inspection before every flight attempt. Competition Format The competition consists of two rounds:
Round 1: Endurance & Stability Test Each team will have a maximum of 3 minutes and 30 seconds from takeoff to complete the required tasks. Minimum 40 seconds of successful flight: 40 points Successful spot landing within the designated landing area: 60 points The spot-landing area is a rectangular strip measuring 20 m × 10 m. The landing will be considered successful only when the complete body of the aircraft comes to a complete halt within the designated strip. If the aircraft is damaged during flight or landing, no points will be awarded. Failure to complete the required tasks within the allotted time will also result in no points for the respective task. Each team will receive two attempts for Round 1.
Round 2: Manoeuvrability Test Each team will have a maximum of 4 minutes from takeoff to complete the required tasks. Minimum 30 seconds of flight: 20 points Each successive loop completed after the initial 30 seconds: 30 points Successful spot landing within the allotted time: 40 points A loop is defined as a manoeuvre in which the aircraft climbs vertically, flies inverted at the top and dives back down to complete a vertical circular path. Points for loops will only be awarded after the aircraft has completed 30 seconds of flight. If the aircraft is damaged during flight or landing, no points will be awarded. Failure to complete the required tasks within the allotted time will result in no points for the respective tasks. Each team will receive one attempt for Round 2. Scoring The final score will be calculated using the following weighting: Final Score = 0.4 × Round 1 Score + 0.6 × Round 2 Score The Round 2 score therefore carries greater weight in determining the final standings.
Venue
National Institute of Technology Delhi
North Delhi, India
Event Details Date: 10
October 2026 Venue: Ground near IC Engine Lab, NIT
Delhi Reporting: Teams must report at 8:30 AM.
Pre-flight Inspection: Begins at 9:00
AM Event Start: 9:30
AM Registration Fee: ₹1,500 per team
Prize Pool: ₹14,000 Rules All teams must report at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the event. Mandatory pre-flight inspections will begin at 9:00 AM and must be completed before the respective flight attempt. Every aircraft must comply with the specified dimensional, weight and propulsion requirements. Only electric propulsion is permitted. IC engines are strictly prohibited. Readymade RTF, ARF and BNF aircraft are not permitted. The aircraft must be fabricated by the participating team. Gyroscopes, autonomous mission programming, FPV systems and external flying assistance are prohibited. Receiver programming assistance is not permitted. Any aircraft that does not satisfy the prescribed requirements during inspection will not be permitted to proceed with the respective attempt. If an aircraft is damaged during flight or landing, no points will be awarded for that attempt. Tasks must be completed within the specified time limits for the respective round. The decision of the judges will be final and binding. The organisers reserve the right to modify the rules under unforeseen circumstances. Any such changes will be communicated to the participating teams. All participants are required to comply with the