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Written by: Hennie Brink on Oct 31, 2024

Introducing Gaggle's New Obstacle Course Feature

Obstacle course overview

Flying just got a whole lot more exciting! We’re thrilled to introduce Gaggle’s latest feature—the Obstacle Course. Designed to inject fun and competition into every flight, this new addition allows pilots to create dynamic courses, challenge friends, and enhance their skills. Whether you’re a seasoned pilot or a newcomer looking for adventure, the Obstacle Course offers something for everyone.

To see everything else we released in this update, check out the release notes.

The short of it is:

  1. Collect waypoints to increase your score.
  2. Fly as close to the center on navigation tasks to maximize your points.
  3. Avoid no-fly zones to prevent penalties.

Table of Contents

  1. The Inspiration Behind Obstacle Course
  2. What is the Obstacle Course Feature?
  3. Getting Started: Creating Your First Course
  4. Understanding the Scoring System
  5. Taking Flight: Navigating the Course
  6. Organizing Meetups and Competitions
  7. Analyzing Performance with Flight Replays
  8. Engaging Spectators with Live Scoring
  9. Community Feedback and Future Updates
  10. Conclusion

The Inspiration Behind Obstacle Course

The idea for the Obstacle Course was born from a desire to make each flight a unique adventure. We noticed that flying the same routes could become mundane, and we wanted to create a feature that revitalizes the joy of flying. Inspired by the formats used in the FAI World Paramotor Endurance Championships, the Obstacle Course allows pilots to experience competition-style flying while having fun with their local clubs or at fly-ins. We even recreated the World Paramotor Endurance Championships obstacle course in Gaggle to score the pilots to see how precisely they actually flew the course. You can view the results here.

What is the Obstacle Course Feature?

The Obstacle Course is a customizable leaderboard system within Gaggle. It lets pilots create courses featuring:

  • No-Fly Zones: Areas pilots must avoid.
  • Waypoints: Targets for pilots to reach for points.
  • Navigation Tasks: Complex routes that test precision and navigation skills.

This feature transforms ordinary flights into thrilling challenges, offering endless possibilities for course design and competition.

Getting Started: Creating Your First Course

Creating an Obstacle Course is both intuitive and flexible. Here’s how to get started:

No-Fly Zones

Avoid These Areas to Stay in the Game

No-Fly Zones are essential for creating challenging courses. They can represent restricted airspace, safety hazards, or simply areas you want pilots to avoid. Or you can use them to create a more complex course that requires strategic planning.

Obstacle course no fly zone edit

  • Creating No-Fly Zones:
    • Tap the ”+” button and select No-Fly Zone.
    • Choose between a Circle or a more complex Polygon shape.
    • For Polygons:
      • Move the map to where you want a point.
      • Tap Add Point to place it.
      • Repeat to form your shape.
      • Tap Close to finalize and save.
    • For Circles:
      • Set the center by moving the map and tapping.
      • Adjust the radius by zooming in or out.
      • Tap Close to finalize and save.
  • Setting Penalties:
    • Tap Score to adjust the penalty percentage.
    • Default penalty is 50%.
    • Penalties reduce the total points earned during a flight when a no-fly zone is entered.

Pro Tip: Use no-fly zones to simulate real-world restrictions and enhance the challenge!

Waypoints

Hit the Targets, Score the Points

Waypoints are targets that pilots must reach to earn points. They add an element of strategy to the course, encouraging pilots to explore new areas and test their skills on their way to navigation tasks.

Obstacle course waypoint edit

  • Adding Waypoints:
    • Tap the ”+” button and select Waypoints.
    • Move the map crosshairs to the desired location.
    • Tap Add to place a waypoint.
    • Repeat as needed and tap Close to save.
  • Customizing Waypoints:
    • Tap Radius to set how close pilots need to get.
    • Tap Score to assign points for each waypoint.

Pro Tip: Strategically place waypoints to encourage exploration of new areas!

** Safety Tip**: Avoid placing waypoints in areas where pilots flying a navigation course might be at risk. Make sure navigation course entryways, exits, and corridors don’t have any waypoints nearby.

Master the Course, Earn the Glory

Navigation Tasks are the heart of the Obstacle Course. They challenge pilots to fly precise routes, navigate through gates, and test their skills in a variety of conditions. These tasks are perfect for pilots looking to improve their flying abilities and compete with others.

Obstacle course navigation task edit

  • Designing Navigation Tasks:
    • Tap the ”+” button and select Navigation Task.
    • Start Gate:
      • Move to the starting point on the map.
      • Tap Add Start Gate.
    • Adding Legs:
      • Tap Add Point to create the route.
      • Tap End Leg to start a new segment. Pilots can also exit the course at this point without penalty.
      • Repeat to form the course.
    • Curving the Course:
      • Tap Curves to adjust existing lines.
      • Move control points for precision.
  • Customizing the Task:
    • Tap Corridor Width to set the allowable path width.
    • Tap Score to assign points per leg.

Pro Tip: Incorporate curves and make sure the obstacle course follows natural landmarks for a more engaging experience!

Safety Tip: Make sure navigation tasks are designed with safety in mind. Avoid creating tasks that require pilots to fly too close to obstacles or waypoints/no-fly zones. Pilots can only fly the course in one direction, so make sure the course is designed to be flown in a safe and logical manner without conflicting with other air traffic.

Understanding the Scoring System

Obstacle course leaderboard view

The scoring system is designed to reward precision and penalize mistakes:

  • No-Fly Zones:
    • Penalties are applied per flight when entered.
    • Default penalty reduces total flight points by 50%.
  • Waypoints:
    • Points are earned once per waypoint per course.
  • Navigation Tasks:
    • Points awarded based on proximity to the center line.
    • Exiting through designated gates maintains points.
    • Early exits or backtracking incur a 50% penalty on that leg’s points.

Remember: The goal is to fly both accurately and strategically to maximize your score!

Taking Flight: Navigating the Course

When you’re ready to fly:

Obstacle course in-flight view

  • Course Overview:
    • Gaggle loads the course into your in-flight view.
    • Navigation tasks, waypoints, and no-fly zones are displayed.
  • In-Flight Tips:
    • At high zoom levels, the course fades to minimize distractions. This is done for your safety and to make the course more challenging.
    • Focus on visual landmarks rather than the screen.
    • Switch to a satellite view to get a better understanding of the course layout and landmarks.
  • Safety First:
    • Always prioritize safe flying practices.
    • Use the course as a guide, not a directive.

Preparation: Before takeoff, study the course and plan your route for optimal scoring and to familiarize yourself with the layout and landmarks.

Organizing Meetups and Competitions

Bring your community together with the Obstacle Course feature:

  • Creating Meetups:
    • Define the location and date within Gaggle.
    • Create your obstacle course.
    • Invite pilots to join your event.
    • Gaggle will automatically load the course for all participants when they start the recorder.
  • Setting Up Competitions:
    • Design a course tailored to your group’s skill level.
    • Use the leaderboard to track scores in real-time.

Engagement: Encourage friendly competition and collaboration among pilots, keeping safety and fun at the forefront.

Analyzing Performance with Flight Replays

Obstacle course replay

Improve your skills by reviewing your flights:

  • Flight Replay Features:
    • Watch your flight replay (32x speed works well for most flights).
    • See where you earned or lost points.
    • Analyze your path relative to the course.
  • Tips for Improvement:
    • Note areas where you deviated from the center line.
    • Plan strategies for better performance on future flights.
    • Study landmarks and course layout for better navigation.
    • Don’t try to hit waypoints already scored; focus on new ones for subsequent flights.

Growth: Use insights from replays to refine your techniques and climb the leaderboard.

Engaging Spectators with Live Scoring

Obstacle course spectator view

Make your events exciting for everyone:

  • Live Scoring:
    • Spectators can view the course and pilots’ scores in real-time.
    • Adds excitement and engagement to events.
    • The group live tracking view on Desktop mode will show all pilots and the course.
  • Enhancing Fly-Ins:
    • Great for organizers to offer entertainment.
    • Encourages more community involvement.

Community: Turn your flights into a spectator sport!

Future Updates

  • Based on your feedback, we’re working on:
    • Enhanced course editing tools.
    • More customization options.
    • Additional tasks like constant speed and varying altitude.
    • Integration with global competitions.
    • Leaderboard and scoring event exports.

Conclusion

Ready to take your flying to new heights? Dive into Gaggle’s Obstacle Course feature today and transform every flight into an unforgettable adventure. Challenge yourself, compete with friends, and most importantly, have fun!

If you are interested, you can view the World Paramotor Endurance Championships obstacle course and leaderboard here.

We can’t wait to see the incredible courses you’ll create and hear about your experiences. Fly safe and enjoy the journey!


Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the Gaggle community on our Discord server. You can find the invite link under Profile > Settings > About.

Happy flying!


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