Divisions BC Clarifications

Regional Dimensions - This Clarification will continue to be numbered HEL 2, but the date will be updated each time VASO can update the information given by the tournament locations. The Helicopter space information is:

• Tandem Friends Regional - Height is 3.45m. Floor dimensions are 11.25m x 8.65m

• VT Regional - Height is approximately 3.6m. Floor dimensions are approximately 3m x 1.5m

• Centreville Regional - Height is 5.2m. Floor Dimensions are 7.3m in length with an average width of 11.2m

• Fairfax Regional - Height is 4m

• UMW Regional - Height is 6.8m

• States - Height is 6m. The event will take place in a racquetball court

Section 2.b. - Participants do not need to bring or wear a lab coat or goggles for the event.

4.c. Section Three - Measurements: The Event Supervisor may widen the range of acceptable answers in cases where the (+/-) 3 accuracy is not achievable under tournament circumstancesc

Botany is a trial event - while individual medals are awarded, it does not count towards the team score. Alternates, members of the competition team, or gold bid participants may compete in the event, however each school may only send one pair to compete.

Rules: VASO will use its own rules -  Cybersecurity C (VASO 2025) - for the event.

Cybersecurity is a trial event - while individual medals are awarded, it does not count towards the team score. Alternates, members of the competition team, or gold bid participants may compete in the event, however each school may only send one pair to compete.

Student OnShape account login emails will need to be collected prior to the State tournament in order to add them to the online classroom for the event. VASO will ask coaches to enter this information in the Portal at the same time as they self-schedule the students in this event. This information will only be shared with the VASO staff setting up the event and will be purged from the Portal upon completion of the State tournament.

Prior to the tournament, each team member must create a PTC Onshape student account. At the tournament, each competitor should bring their own computer logged in to their Onshape account. Outlets may not be easily accessible at the venue, so competitors need to bring their computers fully charged. WiFi details will be provided by the Event Supervisor.

Rules - VASO will not be using the Engineering CAD rules in the 2025 rulebook. Instead we will use the updated Engineering CAD rules published by Nationals in January.

Engineering CAD is a trial event - while individual medals are awarded, it does not count towards the team score. Alternates, members of the competition team, or gold bid participants may compete in the event, however each school may only send one pair to compete.

Section 2.c.: Teams may bring tools and one Class IV or lower calculator, which do not need to be impounded. Tools can be electronic. Spare parts and alignment devices are not tools and must be impounded.

Section 3.c.xi.(3): Year without a Summer (1812) (1816) (Mount Tambora)

Section 7.b.ii. - Failed Run = 750 1500 points + Run Penalties

Section 6.6.vi. - At the end of the 8-minute Track Time, a team having less than 2 successful runs will have any remaining runs assessed as a Failed Run. no successful or failed runs may be awarded participation points at the discretion of the Event Supervisor.

Section 3.a.: Students will build a concrete puck 4.0 ± 0.2 cm in diameter out of whatever combination of Portland cement Type I or II or IL, sand...

Section 5.b.: At VASO tournaments, pucks will be dropped onto a 16 gauge (1.5 mm thick) steel sheet metal surface mounted on top of a 3/4" MDF board. The drop surface is surrounded by an 8 cm tall fence to contain the puck within the drop area. The drop surface inside the fence is 27 cm by 42 cm.

Clarication EV 4 is rescinded. Section 3.a. returns to its original state in the rules.

Section 7.f.: Last Gate Bonus of -30 points is awarded for a run if the Gate Zone marked as Last is the final Gate Bonus awarded. Only the first entrance of the gate is awarded a bonus. Once the gate marked as last is entered, then the robot must not be awarded additional gate bonuses to be eligible for the last gate bonus...When the Last Gate Bonus is awarded, the run will be awarded -15 points for the Gate and -30 points for the Last Gate (for a total of -45 points).

Section 5.II.d: ...Teams are allowed to start and stop the blade assembly rotation and reposition the support stand during the set-up period. Any energy that the team has added to start the blade (e.g. manually giving the blade a push) must have disappated by the end of the set-up period so that only the wind from the fan powers the blade assembly. 

Section 2.a.: Each participant must bring safety equipment (e.g., goggles, lab coat, apron), an N95 mask, a writing implement, and may bring a stand-alone calculator of any type (Class III). Participants may substitute a KN95 mask for a N95 mask in all instances where the N95 mask is referenced in the rules.

Section 4.d.: Teams that did not impound their cord or failed the elasticity test will be placed in Tier 2 rank below all those that passed the elasticity test.

Section 4.c.i.: A team unable to complete any drop in the 5 minutes will receive participation points only.

Section 4.c.ii.: If a team cannot complete their second drop in the 5 minutes, their Drop Distance 2 score will be the full drop height.

Section 2.b.: Each team may also bring tools, supplies, writing utensils, and two calculators (Class III) for use during any part of the event. Teams may not bring or use a tachometer.

Section 4.b.ii.: A list of the components (including quantities or ratios of each and showing that the puck is 10% cement either by volume or by mass) used in the construction of the puck. If this information is not provided, the team's puck will earn no score, because the Event Supervisor will not be able to verify that all construction parameters have been met.

Section 3.a.: Students will build a concrete puck 4.0 ± 0.2 cm in diameter out of whatever combination of Portland cement Type I or II, sand, gravel, and water they wish. Premixed concrete mixtures are not allowed due to batch ingredient variability in these mixtures. Pucks must be at least 10% Cement…

(This clarification has subsequently been rescinded by Clarification EV 5.)

Section 3.a.: Electrical energy used by the Vehicle for any purpose, including propulsion, must be stored in a maximum of 8 (eight) AA 1.2 to 1.5-volt common, commercially available batteries, individually labeled by the manufacturer. Rechargeable batteries are allowed. The batteries must be individual batteries and not a pre-assembled battery pack. Energy from the batteries may not be stored in any intermediate devices (e.g., capacitors, springs) before being discharged. Electronic sighting, alignment, or aiming devices may have their own separate power source.

Section 6.g.: Target locations, bucket location, and near target elevation will be provided to teams at their competition time must be announced only after impound is over and must be the same for all teams…

Section 2.b.: …The total drop mass value and length, including the attachment mechanism, will be posted immediately after impound provided to teams at their setup time…

Section 3.d.iv.: The drop height values and drop instructions will be posted immediately after impound provided to teams at their setup time.

Section 3.d.: The Drop Height will be measured from the landing surface to where the ring of the cord is attached to the release mechanism.

Section 2.d.: Each competitor may bring one Class III stand-alone calculator, which does not have to be impounded.

Section 5.c.: …The exact distance will be chosen by the Event Supervisor and provided to teams at their competition time announced after the impound period is over.

VASO considers writing code to be an integral part of building a device, so the Construction Policy applies to the code as well as the physical device. If concerns arise about a team’s compliance with this policy, they will be asked to submit a copy of their code for tournament officials to review.

It is strongly recommended that teams using a kit impound a description of the substantial modification required by the Construction Policy to help the Event Supervisor verify they have met this requirement.

Section 6.a.: …The Target Time and the locations of the Start Point, Target Point, Obstacles, Gate Zones, and Last Gate are chosen by the Event Supervisor (ES) and will be provided to teams at their setup time announced after the impound period is over.

It is strongly recommended that teams using a kit impound a description of the substantial modification required by the Construction Policy to help the Event Supervisor verify they have met this requirement.

VASO considers writing code to be an integral part of building a device, so the Construction Policy applies to the code as well as the physical device. If concerns arise about a team’s compliance with this policy, they will be asked to return their code storage device to impound so tournament officials can review it.

Section 5.f.: …The Target Distance will be chosen by the ES and will be provided to teams at their competition time announced after the impound period is over.

Section 3.h.: The launch device must be designed and operated in such a way to not damage or alter the floor. The falling mass must be prevented from contacting, marking, or damaging the venue floor. Teams that do not adequately protect the venue floor from damage will not be allowed to compete and will receive participation points.

Section 3.c.: …The falling mass must not directly be prevented from contacting, marking, or damaging the venue floor, either by using a pad or similar protective cushion, or by designing the device such that the mass can never touch the floor. A pad, if used, must not be attached to the falling mass; it must cover the floor. Teams that do not adequately protect the venue floor will not be allowed to compete and will receive participation points…

Section 2.c.: Teams may bring data and a stand-alone calculator (Class III) of any type along with non-electronic tools which do not need to be impounded.

It is strongly recommended that teams using a kit impound a description of the substantial modification required by the Construction Policy to help the Event Supervisor verify they have met this requirement.

Section 3.b.ii.: Must be placed on the Test Base surface such that the entire loading chain is suspended within 2.5 cm of the center of the opening in the Test Base.

Section 3.b.iii.: Must be placed on the Test Base surface such that the entire loading chain is suspended within 2.5 cm of the center of the opening in the Test Base.

Section 4.d.xi.: Use falling marbles to turn a paddlewheel. The wheel must make at least one full revolution before the paddlewheel triggers the next action. One blade of the paddlewheel must be a different color from the other blades to ensure that the Event Supervisors can see the complete revolution.

Section 7.c.: Deduct 50 points if any solid or liquid leaves the measured dimensions of the device. This does not apply to the stop sign and sign raising mechanism in the Final Action (4.f.).

Impound - Mission Possible devices will need to be impounded at VASO Regional tournaments, as well as States.

3.d.ii. Depositional - moraines (end/terminal, recessional, lateral, medial, ground), kames, drumlins, eskers,

3.d.iii. erratics

3.d.iv. 3.d.iii Lakes - tarns, the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, kettles, moraine-dammed lakes, proglacial lakes

Section 3.a.: Helicopters may be constructed from published plans, commercial kits, competitor’s designs, and/or other sources of design. Kits, if used, must not contain any pre-glued joints or pre-covered surfaces. The requirement found in VASO’s Construction Policy for kits to be substantially modified is not applied in this event.

Section 6.c.: Event Supervisors at VASO tournaments will not allow the egg to be placed inside a bag.

Section 2.b.: Teams may share launchers, falling mass, and alignment devices between teams from the same school. Teams, even if they are from the same school, may NOT share any impounded resources at VASO tournaments, including launchers, falling mass(es), and alignment devices.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.

This event will only be run at the UMW 2025 National-Ready Regional and the State Tournament.