Pilot And Co Pilot Practice Drills You Can Do In One Pool Session

We get asked all the time what to do in pool practice so it actually helps. Practice does not have to be long to be effective. It has to be focused.

This is a full pool session plan you can run in one practice, even if you only have an hour. These drills build the skills that win runs, smooth control, calm communication, tether management, and consistency.

Before You Start, Two Rules

Rule 1: Change one thing at a time. Do not change anything during drills unless something is actually broken.

Rule 2: Pilot and Co Pilot practice as one unit. This is not a solo sport.

Nolan tip: If the tether is mad, the ROV will be irate.

Drill 1: The Calm Start

Time: 10 minutes

What It Trains: Smooth inputs, trim awareness, Co-Pilot callouts, tether slack management

Start your ROV at the wall. The goal is to move forward 3 feet, stop, rotate 90 degrees, stop, move forward 3 feet, stop. Repeat.

Pilot focuses on tiny stick movements. Co-Pilot focuses on slack and calm callouts.

Callout words we use: Stop, hold, rotate slow, forward slow.

If your robot jerks, spins, or drifts, slow down. This drill is about control, not speed.

Julian tip: If you cannot stop cleanly, you cannot be fast on purpose. Speed with no control is chaos in a hurry.

Drill 2: The Tether Test

Time: 10 minutes

What It Trains: Co-Pilot movement, tether tension awareness, snag prevention, team positioning

Set up a simple lane with two markers on deck. The Co-Pilot practices keeping the tether centered and untwisted while the pilot drives a straight line out and back.

The pilot is not trying to win. The pilot is trying to keep it straight and predictable.

Co-Pilot practices:

• feeding slack smoothly

• pulling slack back in without yanking

• repositioning to reduce pull

• keeping the tether off obstacles and away from props

  
  

Swap roles if you want everyone to understand how much this job matters.

Nolan tip: If your tether is steering your ROV, congratulations, you built a tugboat. Fix the tether.

Drill 3: The Hoop Approach

Time: 15 minutes

What It Trains: Obstacle course confidence, alignment, no panic discipline

Pick one hoop. Do not run the whole course. Run the approach.

Start 4 to 6 feet away. Line up, approach slowly, go through cleanly, stop after the hoop, back up, reset, repeat.

Most misses happen because the pilot speeds up right before the hoop like the hoop is going to move. It is not going to move. It is just sitting there, waiting for you to panic.

Pilot focuses on alignment and slow approach. Co-Pilot focuses on tether slack and calm callouts.

Julian tip: The moment you rush is the moment you hit the hoop. Slow down early so you do not have to fix it late.

Drill 4: The Dial It Back Timer Run

Time: 15 to 20 minutes

What It Trains: Real run pacing, clean execution under time pressure, calm recovery when something goes wrong

This drill is how we build speed the right way. Start with a timer that gives you space to be clean, then earn your way down.

Start at 8:00 and run your obstacle course plan. Once your team is clean and consistent at 8:00, dial it back.

8:00

Then 6:00

Then 4:00

Then 2:00

Once you can consistently hit 2:00 cleanly, dial it back to:

1:45

Then 1:30

Then 1:15

Then 1:00

Nolan tip: Here is the rule. If you are not clean and consistent, take the timer back up. Speed that falls apart is not progress, it is chaos with a stopwatch.

Julian tip: Earn your speed. Do not dive right in and hope. Get clean, get consistent, then go faster on purpose.

Brooklynn tip: Fast does not matter if you cannot repeat it. If a run only “worked” because you bumped into everything and got lucky, that is not a plan, and luck runs out on competition day. Clean, consistent runs build confidence, and confidence is what makes speed and wins possible.

Drill 5: The Debrief That Makes You Better

Time: 10 minutes

What It Trains: Learning, reflection, improvement, teamwork, honest feedback without drama

This is the part teams skip, then wonder why they do not improve.

If you have the resources, film your runs. Watching your run is like watching game film. You will see tether issues, rushed turns, missed alignment, and communication problems you did not notice in the moment.

If you cannot film, use a Buddy Team. That is another team serving as your external eyes and taking notes on everything they see, what went right, what went wrong, communication, tether management, control, everything. Then you do the same for them.

This is not people picking on you, nor are you picking at them. This engineering peers helping each other improve. Be open and honest with feedback and with yourselves. Give it respectfully. Receive it with maturity.

People in the military have different words for the same idea. Some call it a battle buddy, some say shipmate, some say wingman, some simply say buddy. The concept is the same, accountability, safety, and support. Your Buddy Team has your back, and you have theirs. Use this system.

After your drills, answer these questions as a team:

• What was our cleanest run and why?

• What went wrong most often and why?

• What is one thing we will practice next time?

• What is one thing we will not change yet?

• What did we learn today?

  
  

Write it down. If you track it, it becomes science. If you do not, it becomes a blurry memory.

Nolan Rule: Your brain is not a GoPro. Science has shown that memories fade can be "edited" by emotions.  If you want real improvement, write it down right after the run, because data does not get dramatic, it just tells the truth.

Our Final Word

Pool time is valuable. Do not waste it on random laps and hope. Pick drills, practice with purpose, and keep the Pilot and Co-Pilot working as one unit.

If you want more drills or a version of this that matches your exact obstacle course setup, send us a message. We love helping teams level up.