Protocol Principles
Autopilot is built for veAERO holders seeking maximum yield with minimum effort. This section outlines the system’s core rules, limitations, and technical behavior to ensure fair, transparent, and sec
Participation Rules
Minimum Deposit
Aerodrome: Minimum of 400 veAERO per deposit
Velodrome: Minimum of 12,000 veVELO per deposit.
Max Lock Applied
All deposited veTokens (AERO or VELO) are automatically re-locked to the maximum duration (4 years). This ensures full voting power and maximum reward eligibility throughout the lifecycle of each deposit.
Multiple veToken Positions
Each wallet can deposit and manage multiple veAERO or veVELO locks within Autopilot. Votes and rewards are tracked individually per lock but optimized collectively under the shared strategy engine.
Epoch Commitment
To receive rewards, your veToken must remain deposited throughout the full epoch — including both the voting and distribution phases.
Security Model
Non-Custodial Design
All deposits, withdrawals, votes, and claims are executed directly through on-chain smart contracts. Autopilot has no custody or access to user funds at any time.
Wallet Responsibility
Access to Autopilot is entirely tied to your connected wallet. If wallet access is lost (private key or seed phrase), funds cannot be recovered. The protocol operates without admin keys, recovery options, or custodial functions.
Immutable Logic
Voting, claiming, and reward distribution logic are fully hardcoded in the contracts. No manual override functions exist, and all users are treated equally by protocol logic.
Deposit & Withdrawal Timing Rules
Aerodrome
Deposits and withdrawals are allowed anytime except during the special restricted window:
❌ 90 minutes before the epoch ends
❌ 30 minutes after the new epoch begins ⏳ Total restricted time: 2 hours per epoch
Velodrome
Velodrome follows its own protocol timing, with a broader restricted window around epoch transitions:
❌ 5 hours before the epoch ends
❌ 8 hours after the new epoch begins ⏳ Total restricted time: 13 hours per epoch
The longer window ensures safe execution of multi-chain swaps and bridging operations required for cross-network reward settlement on Optimism Superchain.
Claiming Rewards
Automated Collection
After each epoch flip, Autopilot automatically claims all eligible rewards and swaps them into USDC.
Claim Delay Window
To allow system execution to finalize:
❌ Manual claiming is disabled during the first few hours of the distribution phase
✅ Once processing completes, rewards appear in the Claimable section and can be withdrawn anytime
On-Chain Transparency
All claim and swap actions are executed on-chain and visible through the Activity Feed, giving users full transparency for each transaction.
Strategy & Automation
Voting Optimization
Every epoch, Autopilot runs a dynamic strategy model to determine the highest-performing vote allocations across Aerodrome and Velodrome pools. Voting executes automatically before each protocol’s cutoff time.
Reward Execution
Autopilot:
Claims rewards from voted pools
Swaps earned tokens to USDC via its on-chain router
Executes all actions automatically within the first blocks of the new epoch
No Manual Input Required
Users do not need to manage votes, claims, or swaps manually. Once deposited, all strategy logic runs automatically, ensuring continuous optimization.
Epoch Timing Overview
The flow of a typical epoch in Autopilot:
[ Epoch Start ]
↓
[ Strategy Optimization ]
↓
[ Vote Execution ] (final minutes before cutoff)
↓
⛔ Deposits & Withdrawals Disabled (window varies by protocol)
↓
[ Epoch Ends ]
↓
[ Distribution Phase Begins ]
↓
[ Rewards Claimed & Swapped to USDC ]
↓
⛔ Claims Disabled During Execution Window
↓
[ New Epoch Active ]Protocol Fees
Autopilot charges a 5% fee on the net APR generated by the protocol. This supports ongoing operations, maintenance, and development.
How It Works
The APR includes: Fees, Incentives, and Rebase rewards.
The 5% fee applies only to the Fees and Incentives portion (not rebase).
Rebases are non-transferable and added automatically to the user’s veToken lock.
The fee is deducted after rewards are claimed and swapped to USDC.
The remaining balance becomes available in the user’s Claimable section.
No Impact On
❌ Deposits or withdrawals
❌ Lock duration
❌ Principal veAERO or veVELO amount
Example
If a user has $10,000 in veTokens and earns 50% APR:
Total weekly rewards: $96.15
5% fee: $4.80
Rebase added automatically to the veNFT
Result: The protocol earns less than $5 per $10,000 weekly, while rebase rewards remain untouched.
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