“American Drone Football” (ADF)
Also known simply as Drone Football, is a live action sport played by the human participants of two opposing teams that compete using remote controlled flying robots capable of catching, passing and scoring an airborne mechanical ball.
Background:
The traditional sports of Soccer and Basketball are classified as contact sports involving aggressive physical activity that can result in serious injury to the human participants. Although it maintains the elements of a physical sport such as ball throwing and running, physical contact between robots and humans in Drone Football is restricted to self defence only, resulting in a game that is safer for humans without losing the action components that make a physical sport exciting.
Joe T. Taderera
Inventor
“Field of Invention:
The Invention relates to recreational outdoor team sports, more specifically sporting games in the technical field of robotics involving the use of radio remote controlled aircraft.”
Summary of the Invention:
It is an object of the invention to provide a sport and method of play that develops hand-eye coordination skills as with a video game, while providing the benefits of outdoor physical activity and the in-person social engagement of a traditional field game.
Glossary of Terms:
DFL – Drone Football League. The governing body and premier league of ADF (American Drone Football).
GC – Game Conductor. One who arranges games for Pilots whose duties include but are not limited to bringing the robots and other equipment to field games, registering Pilots as they arrive and keeping the flight session on schedule.
Field Referee – A third 3rd party Pilot controlling the ball when it is out of play. The referee is not a neutral observer of the game but is actively playing against both teams and thus can also win the game independently of both teams on the field.
Game Judge – A second referee during tournament games vs practice games, who has more power than the field referee who overseas or “hosts” the event proceedings during one or more games. The Judge also announces each game with a signature phrase, e.g., “3-2-1 Charge”.
Bad Strike (BS Attack) – To strike or divert a robot that is not a direct physical threat in your direction.
Battle Run – One or more Pilots of the same team running onto the field for 60 seconds to better position their team for scoring.
2-Point Line Zone – The area in front of the goal basket around where the 2 point goal line is located.
Center Field Line – The halfway dividing line along the length of the field.
50 Yard Line – The halfway dividing line along the width of the field.
Combat Pilot (or Battle Pilot) – A fighter pilot who goes on battle runs.
Co-Pilot [Safety Pilot] – Playing from your favorite position without much movement along the field or leaving the Safe Zone.
Club Station – A complete pop-up sports ensemble that is managed by a game conductor and a field referee. It comes with 10 ADF game ready robots, goal baskets, field practice cones and all the other accessories needed for an entirely self contained 2-team game set-up.
Dead Ball – When the ball no longer bounces and comes to a stand still, the referee may take possession after a count of 3 seconds.
Dead Field – When the ball falls out of bounds, the Referee may take possession after a count of 3 seconds with the team that lost control having to all pull back beyond center field. The prevailing team may resume play from wherever they are.
Dummy Flash – To fly a robot towards an opposing pilot and then pull back before contact in order to distract their flight.
Fair Strike – To strike a robot that is coming directly at you from any direction in self-defence.
Penalty – A free Shot Run for an opposing team worth one point.
Shot Run – A penalty goal shot awarded to due a foul or a Bad Strike by the opposing team.
Sky Scrapping – Flying to high above the goal posts during action, typically over 99 feet above ground level.
Game Rules:
1. Scoring a Goal yields 2 points. Scoring a Shot Run yields 1 point, which is a free shot awarded after a Penalty.
2. At no time during a game can a pilot fly their robot higher than 99 feet above the ground, this can result in a Sky Scrapping penalty.
3. Once contact is made with the ball by a robot of either team at the beginning of a game, the ball is officially In-Play, at which point the Field Referee must deactivate the ball by turning off their remote. Failure by the Referee to give up control of the ball can result in a Tricking penalty against them, leading to the loss of one point.
4. You may bump into the robot in possession of the ball during a flight attack, this is a Fair Strike, but you cannot continue flying next to them if the attack fails, this can result in a Clinging Foul or Clustering Foul if there is more than one attacker.
5. At no time can a robot physically attack or bump into a Human, this can result in a Bad Strike penalty, however a Pilot is allowed to physically block or deflect a flying robot in self defense during a Battle Run.
6. The standard duration of a battle run is sixty (60) seconds and a team must properly announce its run by signaling with a flash light or using a hand gesture. A verbal alert such as a loud shout is also permitted. If any of the team pilots fail to leave the field within the run time limit, they can be penalized for Loitering.
7. One may fly by in front of a battle run pilot or fly in circles around them to break their focus, this is known as a Dummy Flash.
8. If the ball falls to the ground for more than 3 seconds without a bounce, it is a Dead Ball. The field referee can then reactivate or take possession of the ball to attempt a Center base goal.
9. If the ball flies out of bounds the team that loses control has caused a Dead Field. They must all immediately withdraw to the far side of Center Field Line while the opposition is allowed to throw the ball back onto the field and resume the game from where they are.
10. No Human pilot may advance closer to the opposition’s goal basket than the 2-point line zone when attempting to score during a battle run.