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What is Project Skydrop?
Project Skydrop is a real-world treasure hunt. A precious object, made of 10 troy ounces of 24K pure gold, has been placed somewhere in a circle that starts out 500 miles in diameter. Over the course of three weeks, that circle shrinks day-by-day. At the end of the hunt, the circle will shrink down to a single foot, pinpointing the exact treasure location. People who join the hunt receive daily clues in the form of aerial photographs of the treasure taken from higher and higher altitudes. Half of each entry fee contributes to an additional prize bounty that grows over time as more people join. The first person to locate the treasure and take it wins the hunt and claims the prize bounty.
How do you join?
Go here to join Project Skydrop for $20:
projectskydrop.com/join.php What does the winner receive?
The winner gets to keep the treasure itself, which contains 10 troy ounces of 99.99% pure gold, currently valued at over $25,000. The winner also receives the prize bounty, which increases by $10 from each entry fee over the course of the hunt. The more people that join, the bigger that prize bounty will be.
How long does the hunt go on?
Project Skydrop runs for 21 days, starting Thursday, September 19, 2024, and ending on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Who is allowed to join?
Project Skydrop is open to anyone who is legally allowed to enter a contest of skill. If you are under 18, you must have your parent's permission to participate.
How will the winner claim the prize bounty?
Using their own phone or camera, the winner MUST record a first-person video of themselves walking up to the treasure and retrieving it from the forest floor. This video must be posted publicly to YouTube, with the phrase "PROJECT SKYDROP" in the title of the video. Once this video is posted by the winner, and we watch the video to verify that the treasure has been acquired peacefully, we will publish instructions on how to retrieve the prize bounty.
Is the treasure buried in the ground?
No, it's sitting somewhere on the forest floor in plain view.
Do I need Bitcoin to join?
No. Your $20 entry fee must be paid in US Dollars.
How is the winner determined?
The person who reaches the treasure first and picks it up is the winner.
Why not just wait until the last day?
On the last day, the circle will be only one foot in diameter. Once the circle is that tiny, the treasure location will be known to everyone. If you wait until then, it will be gone by the time you get there.
What's the point of paying $20 to join?
By joining Project Skydrop, you gain access to daily clues that members of the public do not get. Each day, you will receive a new aerial photograph by email, discord, and/or text message. These photographs look down at the treasure location from higher and higher altitudes, showing more and more of the surrounding landscape each day. By using these clues, you will be able to discover the treasure location before the circle gets too tiny. This is how you can reach the treasure long before members of the public, who are watching the circle shrink from the sidelines without any additional clues.
Why pay to join now, instead of waiting to see how big the bounty gets later?
Each day, clues are delivered in first-joined order, spread over a 6-hour period between 9am and 3pm. By joining later, you are guaranteeing that you will receive your daily clues later in the day. When it comes down to the wire toward the end, when the clues are just tickling the threshold of solvability, every second will count.
Won't the photographic clues get leaked onto the internet?
Yes, it's possible for this to happen. However, spoilsports who want to leak clues will most likely join the contest later than others, so their clues will leak later in the day, making leaked clues far less valuable toward the end of the contest.
What happens if I leak my clues onto the internet?
Spreading your clues publicly on the internet is against the rules of the contest. Any account found to be leaking its clues will be removed from the contest with no warning and no refund.
Can I share clues in the Members-Only Discord?
The only place you can share/discuss/dissect clues on the internet is in the
Members-Only area of the Discord server. However, there's still an important limit: you may only share YESTERDAY'S clue after 9am EST the NEXT DAY. This will ensure that all members see today's clue in first-join, first delivered order. Do not "spoil" today's clue in the Members-Only Discord. Wait until tomorrow at 9am.
When does the circle shrink each day?
The circle shrinks at 9am Eastern Time each day. If you are looking at the map on the website at that time, you will be able to watch the circle shrink.
How much does the circle shrink each day?
Each day, the circle will have the following diameters:
How will we know when the treasure has been taken? Won't a bunch of people waste a trip into the woods after it's too late?
The treasure location is equipped with tree-mounted cameras that provide a live view of the treasure, 24-7. These cameras are both motion-sensitive and night-vision capable. The image feed from these cameras will be publicly visible on the main Project Skydrop website throughout the hunt. Thus, everyone will know that the treasure is still there, before it has been taken. And as soon as the treasure has been taken, everyone will know. In fact, we will all collectively watch the winner pick up the treasure on the live feed. Thus, no one will waste time going to the treasure location after the treasure is gone.
What if multiple people arrive at the same time and fight over the treasure?
First of all, with the live camera feeds, the world is watching, so we will all see what you do at the treasure location. Second, in order to retrieve the prize bounty, the winner must acquire the treasure peacefully, and they must document this by peaceful acquisition by recording their own video on the way to the treasure. Anyone seen engaging in violence in order to acquire the treasure, in addition to breaking the law, will also forfeit their prize bounty.
So there are only two live-streaming cameras, and that's it?
There are only two cameras that will live-stream images to the public website, but there are other cameras that only we will be able to access.
What if people endanger themselves or others when racing toward the treasure location?
Everyone is responsible for their own actions. Please don't speed or engage in other reckless behavior on your way to the treasure.
What about trespassing?
The treasure has been placed on public land.
Is this legal?
As a contest of skill, Project Skydrop is legal almost everywhere. If Project Skydrop is not legal in your area, you have our condolences.
Is there a fee to access the public land?
There is no access fee for the public land where the treasure is hidden.
Is the public land accessible 24/7?
As far as we are aware, yes. However, we don't recommend going into the woods at night.
When were the clue photographs taken?
The aerial images of the treasure were all taken on the same day, when the treasure was placed.
Is the treasure accessible by wheel chair?
No, the treasure requires a moderate hike to access. We don't recommend attempting this hike unless you're in average physical condition.
Can you give me more details about the video that I have to shoot in order to claim the bounty?
You should shoot a video from the first-person perspective, showing what you're seeing as you approach the treasure. This can be done with a head-mounted GoPro camera, or with a phone or camcorder held out in front of you. You don't need to show your face in this video, but you can if you want to (for example, you may rotate the camera back to show your face as you talk, if you want). But especially as you get closer to the treasure, we really need to see what's up ahead of you, and your surroundings, as you reach down and grab the treasure. We should see your hand reaching down to pick up the treasure in the video. Also, we imagine that you might end up recording for many minutes on your way to the treasure. This video can include parts of your driving trip, your preparation before leaving, or whatever else you want. You can edit the video if you want, or just leave the full time line in-tact. Also, there's no requirement that you show your face, and you don't have to talk. But it would probably make for a more exciting video if you talked to describe what's going on. The only hard requirement for the video is that it must prove---without a doubt---that you acquired the treasure peacefully. Making an engaging video is just a bonus.
What about rights to the video that I shoot?
In claiming the bounty, you grant us full rights to the video that you shoot, with no limitations. We may use this video to promote future hunts, or in documentaries that are made about the treasure hunt. Portions of your video may be shown on the news. We may put copies of your video on our own YouTube channels, show the video on our websites, and so on.
How do I see clues from previous days?
Use your four secret words here:
https://projectskydrop.com/server/server.php?action=old_clues How do I see the circles from previous days?
Look for the [PREVIOUS] link under the map on the main home page.
How do I see the center coordinates for the current circle?
How do I see the center coordinates for the previous circles?
Go here:
https://projectskydrop.com/getCurrentCircle.php?sub_days=1 https://projectskydrop.com/getCurrentCircle.php?sub_days=2 https://projectskydrop.com/getCurrentCircle.php?sub_days=3 and so on. What if someone not involved in the hunt finds the treasure?
This is highly unlikely. The wilderness is a HUGE place. Even a circle with only a 50 mile diameter contains over six billion square yards. And the treasure blends in very well with the leaves on the forest floor. Gold is yellow, and the polished surface reflects the colors of the surrounding leaves. But in the almost-impossible situation where someone unfamiliar with the hunt stumbles upon the treasure and takes it, they are the winner. Finders keepers.
Do I have to join to win?
Anyone who finds the treasure can claim it. Anyone who has the treasure will have the 12-word recovery phrase. If we see a video of the treasure being acquired peacefully, we will release the instructions for the winner to recovery the prize bounty. However, it will be highly unlikely that someone finds the treasure just by looking at the map of the circle. The winner will almost certainly need the exclusive clues that members get.
Are the aerial photographs taken with north up?
Good question...
Are there any rules against using advanced technology or deep information sources to find the treasure? Like drones, robots, AI, satellites, FBI databases, aliens, ESP, etc.?
As long as you're not committing any crimes, every source of information, or technological aid, is fair game. We don't expect any of those things to be particularly helpful, though.
How big is the treasure?
The treasure is approximately 4 inches tall. The top ring is 3 1/8 inches in diameter. The bottom, small ring is 5/8 inches in diameter. The base is 3 1/2 inches in diameter. The treasure weighs 10 troy ounces.
Why the name Skydrop?
With a shrinking circle, aerial photographic clues, and the treasure just sitting there on the forest floor (instead of being buried or hidden), it really just felt like it had been dropped there, right out of the sky.
What about hunting season?
Hunters should not be a big issue. We go hiking all the time in the fall without having problems with hunters. If you're concerned, wear orange clothing.
Are there other clues beyond the aerial photographs and shrinking circle?
The aerial photographs, combined with the shrinking circle, are all that you will need to find the treasure.
Where can I see the map with the shrinking circle?
The map showing the circle is on the main website here:
projectskydrop.com When does the circle shrink?
The circle shrinks at 9am EST each day. If you're looking at the map on the website at that time, you can watch it shrink.
Where can I see the live camera feeds of the treasure?
The live image feed of the treasure can be seen here:
projectskydrop.com#live_view What's the significance of my four secret words?
The four secret words are just a unique way of identifying someone when connecting with their Discord account or SMS text phone number. There is no other significance to these words.
Does the video at the end of the trailer show the treasure's actual location?
No, that video is just an example of the treasure sitting in the woods. That video was shot in the fall of 2023, and does not depict the actual location.
Does finding the treasure involve going off trail?
Yes, you will need to go off trail. The treasure was not placed directly on a trail. That would make it too likely that someone casually hiking in the area would discover it.
What if I get lost?
Hiking away from marked trails requires some kind of additional navigation device so that you can find your way back to the trail. At the very least, you should bring a good compass. Ideally, you should bring some kind of electronic GPS navigation.
Does the circle center point remain the same as the circle shrinks?
No, the circle shrinks off-center from the previous circle each day, in a randomized way. If all the circles were concentric, that would mean that the treasure is at the center of the circle, which would be too easy.
Is the next smaller circle always fully contained in the previous, bigger circle?
Yes, the circle always shrinks inside of itself, and never jumps outside the previous circle boundary.
Why are you no longer using Bitcoin for the prize bounty?
After careful consideration, we've decided that Bitcoin is too confusing and too much of a headache for most people. Three years ago, when Project Skydrop was conceived, Bitcoin was an obvious solution, but the landscape and red tape around cryptocurrency has changed a lot since then. The use of Bitcoin in this project has also bothered a lot of people, since many people just don't like cryptocurrency in general. Bitcoin has become a distraction from what Project Skydrop is really about. We have come up with a much easier---and more fun everyone---alternative for the winner to retrieve the bounty. We will be announcing more details soon. But for the time being, just think about... more... treasure...
But then why does the video say "a recovery phrase for a Bitcoin wallet"?
The 12-word recovery phrase encoded on the treasure will still be needed by the winner as part of their bounty retrieval process.
If you're not using Bitcoin, does that mean that the winner cannot recover the bounty online, remotely?
We're not going to say too much about this now, for reasons you will understand later, but the bounty recovery process will involve something in the general region, instead of happening online. If the winner came to the region from very far away (for example, if they flew in from California), they should plan on remaining in the region for a bit longer, or plan on returning to the region again later to retrieve the bounty.
Why is this bounty stuff so complicated?
Hiding a treasure for people to find is simple and time-tested. Having a growing bounty to go along with that treasure is a brand new idea that's never been tried before. You can't just hide the bounty along with the treasure, since you don't know how big that bounty will be, by the end. In order for a bounty to work, the winner needs to be able to retrieve that prize later, after they have already taken the treasure. It's an interesting design challenge, and we're still working out the kinks as we go along.
Why not stick with the original Bitcoin plan?
As we thought through the reality of Bitcoin for such a large bounty, the looming potential mess became obvious. There is simply so much that can go wrong with Bitcoin, dealing with exchanges, waiting periods, wallets, regulations, etc. There are several worst-case scenarios that are really bad, where the winner can't figure out the wallet derivation path (look it up!), or they transfer it to the wrong wallet address later, and the bounty is lost completely. Then what? And imagine if a non-technical person, with no Bitcoin experience, finds the treasure. The risks of trouble were simply too large. We needed to switch to a fool-proof bounty retrieval mechanism that everyone can understand. We needed to get back to basics, and do it the old fashioned way. Project Skydrop is about finding treasure, after all.
What if you get sued?
You participate in Project Skydrop at your own risk. Use your own judgment about your own capabilities and ensure your own safety when traveling into the wilderness and potentially interacting with other people who are searching for the treasure. There are no guarantees of anything, and we can't be sure of exactly what will happen, in the end. We're doing our best to make an amazing treasure hunt adventure, but in the end, we can't control the actions of other people, nor can we control the wilderness, wild animals, weather, or other natural hazards. Each person is 100% responsible for their own actions. Your $20 buys you access to the Members-Only areas, and the Members-Only clues, but that's it. There's no promise of any particular outcome. Adventures have no guarantees. True adventurers don't sue people when something goes wrong. No matter what happens, do not sue us.
What if I have more questions?
Please email me here:
Where are the official contest rules?
This FAQ serves as the official contest rules. There's no other fine print or legal jargon.
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