CIRC Logistics Guide

CIRC is a logistics challenge as much as it is an engineering and operations challenge. Here are some recommendations for getting to and through the competition with your rover.

Getting People to the Competition

  • For international teams, apply for visas early. Processing is slow, and we cannot expedite the process
  • The event centre opens Friday morning, and your first task may be Friday night. Last tasks are Monday, with awards and the barbecue wrapping up Monday evening.
  • Travel plans involve lots of moving parts, potentially including rental cars, rental trucks, a rover shipment, flights, and accommodation check-in/check-out. Consider appointing a travel/logistics lead for the competition.

Getting your Rover to the Competition

Shipping is challenging, especially so if your rover includes lithium batteries, which are designated as dangerous goods/hazardous material. You should be planning your shipment a few months ahead, and having discussions with couriers to ensure they can accommodate your plans.

  • Driving with your rover is the easiest way to get the rover to the Competition, but most time intensive
    • This option allows you to bring lots of tools and equipment
  • Shipping by ground freight “less than truckload” is harder, but reliable
    • Put your rover in a crate on a pallet
    • You can ship direct to the event centre
    • Most couriers will allow you to pick up your crate at a major warehouse (such as Calgary), which can save a couple days compared to shipping to Drumheller
    • Transport Canada’s hazardous materials rules have an exemption for lithium batteries packed in equipment shipped by ground freight and meeting a couple other important requirements. Shipping in this way will prevent your shipment from being classified as dangerous goods, and simplify the process. The exemption is helpful, but you must understand all the requirements from both Transport Canada and your home country.
    • Our volunteers have found Fast Frate helpful and reliable in the past.
  • Bringing your rover with you when flying is next in difficulty, but is fastest
    • Lithium batteries must be carried-on (not checked) and will be limited to 100-160 Wh per battery and 1-2 batteries per person depending on the airline and country. The Canadian rules are here, ensure you also check your home country rules and airline rules. Rover packs sized toward the 1000 Wh guideline in the 2027 Rover Safety Requirements will usually exceed these limits.
    • Security may confiscate your batteries anyways
    • Checked baggage is not handled delicately, be prepared for damaged parts.
    • Consider shipping your rover without batteries, and having team members carry-on batteries to simplify shipping.
  • Shipping by air cargo is most difficult, and gets more difficult every couple years
    • Lithium batteries must be declared as dangerous goods, and require significant paperwork, planning and special packing
    • They can only be shipped in cargo-only aircraft
    • Carriers may require you to have a Transport Canada certification for shipping dangerous goods
    • Carriers may require you to have a 24/7 on call contact in case of emergencies
    • We do not recommend this unless your shipping is being handled by a stakeholder with recent experience in shipping dangerous goods, like your school or a corporate sponsor.
  • Ship your rover as close to fully assembled as possible. Rebuilding the rover at the competition costs time, and introduces significant risk.
  • If you are shipping in a crate, bring the appropriate tools to open the crate in your carry-on

Staying at the Competition

  • You should book accommodations in Drumheller or nearby. Do not stay in Calgary, it’s a 90 minute drive back and forth, and you may not sleep at the event centre.
  • Hotels are reliable places to stay, but an Airbnb may offer you a kitchen to help with meal preparation.
  • Drumheller is a tourist destination, and August is peak tourist season. Book a few months in advance to ensure you find something nearby.

Getting Around the Host City

  • In Drumheller, you will need to drive your members and rover between task sites, they are too far to walk, especially in the summer heat.
  • In Niagara Falls the tasks will be closer to CIRC Central, but you will still need a vehicle to transport your members and rover from your accommodations to the competition.
  • Rental trucks like U-Haul have relaxed age restrictions compared to standard rental cars.

The Weather and Environment

Drumheller is a desert, which comes with extreme temperatures

  • The most common weather will be hot and sunny, with temperatures between 30-40 celsius, and high to extreme UV indexes
  • There may be flash thunderstorms with high winds, or rain with daytime temperatures around 10 degrees celsius
  • Overnight temperatures can be as low as 5 degrees celsius in the summer

The vegetation and wildlife are also worth planning for

  • Some task sites have cacti and other sharp vegetation, we recommend closed toed shoes and pants
  • Rattlesnakes can be found in Drumheller. If you are bitten by a snake, try to get a picture of it to help determine the appropriate treatment.

Niagara Falls in the Winter will be cold and wet

  • Weather may be sunny, cloudy, rainy, or snow, and the ground may be dry, muddy, snowy, or icy.
  • The most common weather will be -5 to 5 celsius, with snow on the ground.
  • There may be cold weather approaching -20 celsius, or warm weather up to +10 celsius.
  • We recommend bringing sunglasses, when there is snow on the ground it will reflect the sun.
  • There are no overnight tasks during the winter competition