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15.15 MINIMUM DISTANCE DOUBLE DROP (MDD)
15.15.1 Competitors will attempt to achieve two marks or valid track points close together in different scoring areas.
15.15.2 Task data:
a. description of scoring areas
15.15.3 The result is the distance between the marks or track points. Smallest result is best.
15.15.4 Competitors will not achieve a result, unless they have valid track points or marks in different scoring areas as per the TDS.
Breakdown
Breakdown
The minimum distance double drop (MDD) can be virtual or physical. It is a simple task, which adds an increased degree of complexity to a simple JDG. This task defines two completely separate scoring regions. Pilots must achieve a valid mark in both regions to achieve a result. The goal is to get those marks as close together as possible.
This means that pilots must consider their flight path while approaching the location of the target, instead of just flying to the point.
To help explain this task, I have taken a diagram from the Croatia Hot Air Balloon Open Championship 2026. In this example, the pilots must place 2 physical markers. Those markers must either both be in the A regions or both be in the B regions. A marker in A and a marker in B would be invalid. In order to achieve the optimal result, having markers as close to the center of the cross would be optimal. Flying at the center of the target would be easiest, but if that isn't possible then diagonal flight paths are best, because they optimize the pilots chances of flying over 2 of the same region.
Task Data Description
Task Data Description
Task data:
description of scoring areas
This tells the pilots what the different valid regions are. If it is a physical task, it is often a diagram. If it is virtual, it is typically a list of points or gridlines.
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