FRCManual.com

FIRST is committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and as such, FIRST makes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities that request accommodation. If a participant needs an accommodation for an event, please talk to a volunteer at the event or contact local leadership before the event so they can help ensure the accommodation is provided.

Accommodations are adjustments that allow all people with disabilities to access the building and participate in the game. Accommodations are determined reasonable given they do not create an undue hardship or cause safety concerns.

8.1 General

H101 *Be a good person.

All teams must be civil toward everyone and respectful of team and event equipment while at a FIRST Robotics Competition event.

Violation: Behavior will be discussed with team or individual. Violations of this rule are likely to escalate to YELLOW or

RED CARDS

rapidly (i.e. the threshold for egregious violations is relatively low.)

Examples of inappropriate behavior include, but are not limited to use of offensive language or other uncivil conduct.

Examples of particularly contemptible behavior that is likely to result in

ARENA

ejection include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. assault, e.g. throwing something that hits another person (even if unintended),
b. threat, e.g. saying something like “if you don’t reverse that call, I’ll make you regret it,”
c. harassment, e.g. badgering someone with no new information after a decision’s been made or a question’s been answered,
d. bullying, e.g. using body or verbal language to cause another person to feel inadequate,
e. insulting, e.g. telling someone they don’t deserve to be on a
DRIVE TEAM
,
f. swearing at another person (versus swearing under one’s breath or at oneself), and
g. yelling at another person(s) in anger or frustration.

H102 *Enter only 1
Robot
.

Each registered FIRST Robotics Competition team may enter only 1

ROBOT

(or “

robot

,” a

ROBOT

-like assembly equipped with most of its drive base, i.e. its

MAJOR MECHANISM

that enables it to move around a

FIELD

) into a 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition Event.

“Entering” a

ROBOT

(or

robot

) into a FIRST Robotics Competition means bringing it to or using it at the event such that it’s an aid to your team (e.g. for spare parts, judging material, or for practice).

While “most of its drive base” is a subjective assessment, for the purposes of this rule, an assembly whose drive base is missing all wheels/treads, gearboxes, and belts/chains is not considered a “

robot

.” If any of those

COMPONENTS

are incorporated, the assembly is now considered a “

robot

.”

This rule does not prohibit teams from bringing in

robots

from other FIRST programs for the purposes of awards presentations or pit displays.

Violation: Verbal warning. Egregious or subsequent violations at any point during the event will be addressed by the Head

REFEREE

, the Lead

ROBOT

INSPECTOR

(

LRI

), and/or Event Management.

H103 *Humans, stay off the
Field
until green.

Team members may only enter the

FIELD

if the

DRIVER STATION

LED strings are green, unless explicitly instructed by a

REFEREE

or an

FTA

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

Egregious violations of this rule to which H201 may apply include, but are not limited to:

a. pushing past the
FIELD
reset person blocking an open gate to get on the
FIELD
,
b. ignoring a warning to not go on the
FIELD
,
c. walking on to the
FIELD
during a
MATCH
, and
d. reaching into the
FIELD
and grabbing a
ROBOT
during a
MATCH
. Violations of this rule apply to the entire team, not specifically to any 1 individual. For example, a member of Team 9999 enters the
FIELD
prior to lights going green after
MATCH
3, and a different member enters the
FIELD
prior to lights going green after
MATCH
25. The team receives a verbal warning for the first violation and a
YELLOW CARD
for the second.

H104 *Never step over the guardrail.

Team members may only enter or exit the

FIELD

through open gates.

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

Teams are encouraged to ensure that all members of their

DRIVE TEAM

are aware of this rule. It’s easy to violate, particularly when teams are doing their best to move on and off the

FIELD

quickly. The violations of this rule are intended to avoid nuisance penalties, but still enforce safety requirements around the

FIELD

. There is the potential for injury when stepping over the guardrail.

Violations of this rule apply to the entire team, not specifically to any 1 individual. For example, a member of Team 9999 steps over the guardrail prior to

MATCH

3, and a different member steps over the guardrail prior to

MATCH

25. The team receives a verbal warning for the first violation and a

YELLOW CARD

for the second.

H105 *Asking other teams to throw a
Match
– not cool.

A team may not encourage an

ALLIANCE

, of which it is not a member, to play beneath its ability.

NOTE: This rule is not intended to prevent an

ALLIANCE

from planning and/or executing its own strategy in a specific

MATCH

in which all the teams are members of the

ALLIANCE

Violation: Behavior will be discussed with team or individual. Violations of this rule are likely to escalate rapidly to YELLOW or

RED CARDS

and may lead to dismissal from the event (i.e. the threshold for egregious violations is relatively low.)

Example 1: A

MATCH

is being played by Teams A, B, and C, in which Team C is encouraged by Team D to not ENGAGE at the end of the

MATCH

, resulting in Teams A, B, and C not earning a Ranking Point. Team D’s motivation for this behavior is to prevent Team A from rising in the Tournament rankings and negatively affecting Team D’s ranking. Team D has violated this rule.

Example 2: A

MATCH

is being played by Teams A, B, and C, in which Team A is assigned to participate as a

SURROGATE

. Team D encourages Team A to not participate in the

MATCH

so that Team D gains ranking position over Teams B and C. Team D has violated this rule.

FIRST considers the action of a team influencing another team to throw a

MATCH

, to deliberately miss Ranking Points, etc. incompatible with FIRST values and not a strategy any team should employ.

H106 *Letting someone coerce you in to throwing a
Match
– also not cool.

A team, as the result of encouragement by a team not on their

ALLIANCE

, may not play beneath its ability.

NOTE: This rule is not intended to prevent an

ALLIANCE

from planning and/or executing its own strategy in a specific

MATCH

in which all the

ALLIANCE

members are participants.

Violation: Behavior will be discussed with team or individual. Violations of this rule are likely to escalate rapidly to YELLOW or

RED CARDS

and may lead to dismissal from the event (i.e. the threshold for egregious violations is relatively low.)

Example 1: A

MATCH

is being played by Teams A, B, and C. Team D requests Team C ignore the

CHARGE STATION

at the end of the

MATCH

, resulting in Teams A, B, and C not being able to earn the

ACTIVATION BONUS

. Team C accepts this request from Team D. Team D’s motivation for this behavior is to prevent Team A from rising in the Tournament rankings negatively affecting Team D’s ranking. Team C has violated this rule.

Example 2: A

MATCH

is being played by Teams A, B, and C, in which Team A is assigned to participate as a

SURROGATE

. Team A accepts Team D’s request to not participate in the

MATCH

so that Team D gains ranking position over Teams B and C. Team A has violated this rule.

FIRST considers the action of a team influencing another team to throw a

MATCH

, to deliberately miss Ranking Points, etc. incompatible with FIRST values and not a strategy any team should employ.

H107 *Throwing your own
MATCH
is bad.

A team may not intentionally lose a

MATCH

or sacrifice Ranking Points in an effort to lower their own ranking or manipulate the rankings of other teams.

Violation: Behavior will be discussed with team or individual. Violations of this rule are likely to escalate rapidly to YELLOW or

RED CARDS

and may lead to dismissal from the event (i.e. the threshold for egregious violations is relatively low.)

The intent of this rule is not to punish teams who are employing alternate strategies, but rather to ensure that it is clear that throwing

MATCHES

to negatively affect your own rankings, or to manipulate the rankings of other teams (i.e. throw a

MATCH

to lower a partner's ranking, and/or increase the ranking of another team not in the

MATCH

) is incompatible with FIRST values and not a strategy any team should employ.

H108 *Don’t abuse
Arena
access.

Team members (except

DRIVERS

HUMAN PLAYERS

, and

COACHES

) granted access to restricted areas in and around the

ARENA

(e.g. via

TECHNICIAN

button, event issued Media badges, etc.) may not assist or use signaling devices during the

MATCH

. Exceptions will be granted for inconsequential infractions and in cases concerning safety.

Violation:

YELLOW CARD

The

TECHNICIAN

’S role is to help the team prepare the

ROBOT

so it can perform at its full potential during a

MATCH

. The

TECHNICIAN

, except as described at the end of

DRIVE TEAM

, is not an additional

COACH

DRIVER

, or

HUMAN PLAYER

Team members in open-access spectator seating areas are not considered to be in a restricted area and are not prevented from assisting or using signaling devices. See E102 for related details.

H109 *Be careful what you interact with.

Team members are prohibited from the following actions with regards to interaction with

ARENA

elements. Temporary deformation of a

GAME PIECE

(e.g.to pre-load a

ROBOT

) is an exception to this rule.

A. climbing on or inside (unless instructed by
FIELD staff
),
B. hanging from,
C. deforming, and
D. damaging.

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

H110 Don’t mess with
GAME PIECES
.

Teams may not modify

GAME PIECES

in any way. Temporary deformation (e.g.to pre-load a

ROBOT

) is an exception to this rule.

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

Marking or standing on

GAME PIECES

are examples of violations. Egregious violations of H109 or H110, such as cutting or intentionally deflating

GAME PIECES

, are subject to H201.

H111 Don't violate rules for Ranking Points.

A Team or

ALLIANCE

may not collude with their OPPONENT to each purposefully violate a rule in an attempt to earn each

ALLIANCE

a Ranking Point.

Violation:

YELLOW CARD

, and

ALLIANCES

are ineligible for SUSTAINAIBLITY and ACTIVATION BONUSES.

For example, if Team A on the blue

ALLIANCE

agrees with Team F on the red

ALLIANCE

that they will both remove

GAME PIECES

from an opposing

NODE

, violating G405, to incur only a

FOUL

and each gain a

SUSTAINABILITY BONUS

Ranking Point.

8.2
REFEREE
Interaction

H201 *Egregious or exceptional violations.

Egregious behavior beyond what is listed in the rules or subsequent violations of any rule or procedure during the event is prohibited.

In addition to rule violations explicitly listed in this manual and witnessed by a

REFEREE

, the Head

REFEREE

may assign a YELLOW or

RED CARD

for egregious

ROBOT

actions or team member behavior at any time during the event. This includes violations of the event rules found on the FIRST® Robotics Competition District & Regional Events page.

Please see Section 11.2.2 YELLOW and

RED CARDS

for additional detail.

Violation: The Head

REFEREE

may assign a YELLOW or a

RED CARD

The intent of this rule is to provide the Head

REFEREES

the flexibility necessary to keep the event running smoothly, as well as keep the safety of all the participants as the highest priority. There are certain behaviors that automatically result in a YELLOW or

RED CARD

because this behavior puts the FIRST

community

at risk. Those behaviors include, but are not limited to the list below:

a. inappropriate behavior as outlined in the blue box of H101,
b. jumping over the guardrail,
c. behaviors listed in the blue box in H103,
d. PINNING in excess of 15 seconds,
e. exploiting the 3-second window after a
MATCH
described in Section 6.4 Scoring to avoid rule violations (e.g. triggering an over-extension that enables
GRID
points or using a
ROBOT
’S residual energy to impact an opponent
ROBOT
on their
CHARGE STATION
),
f. moving a scored
GAME PIECE
from an opponent’s complete set of
GRIDS
. The Head
REFEREE
may assign a YELLOW or
RED CARD
for a single instance of a rule violation such as the examples given in items a-e above, or for multiple instances of any single rule violation. Teams should be aware that any rule in this manual could escalate to a YELLOW or
RED CARD
. The Head
REFEREE
has final authority on all rules and violations at an event.

H202 *1
student
, 1 Head
REFEREE
.

A team may only address the Head

REFEREE

with 1

STUDENT

. The

STUDENT

may not be accompanied by more than 1 silent observer.

Violation: The Head

REFEREE

will not address additional, non-compliant team members or peripheral conversations.

Please see Section 11.2 Head

REFEREE

and

FTA

Interaction for more information about process and expectations. Note that some events may restrict

ARENA

access to members of the

DRIVE TEAM

If a Head

REFEREE

(or any other Event staff) feels they are being recorded without their consent, they may choose to stop participating in the conversation.

8.3 Before/After the
MATCH

H301 *Be prompt.

DRIVE TEAMS

may not cause significant delays to the start of their

MATCH

. Causing a significant delay requires both of the following to be true:

A. The expected
MATCH
start time has passed, and
Event volunteers communicate schedule delays with teams to the best of their ability. The Pit Display (which is typically located near the Pit Administration desk) shows any event timing delay. Announcements on the
FIELD
and in the pits also provide information on delays, and any team uncertain of when to queue for a
MATCH
should communicate with queuing volunteers.
During Qualification
MATCHES
, the expected start time of the
MATCH
is the time indicated on the
MATCH
schedule or ~4 minutes from the end of the previous
MATCH
(which is reflected on the schedule on the Pit Display), whichever is later.
During Playoff
MATCHES
, the expected start time of the
MATCH
is the time indicated on the
MATCH
schedule or 15 minutes from either
ALLIANCE
’S previous
MATCH
, whichever is later.
B. The
DRIVE TEAM
has access to the
FIELD
and is neither
MATCH
ready nor making a good faith effort, as perceived by the Head
REFEREE
, to quickly become
MATCH
ready.
Teams that have violated H305 or have 1
DRIVE TEAM
member present and have informed event staff that their
ROBOT
will not be participating in the
MATCH
are considered
MATCH
ready and not in violation of this rule.

Violation: Verbal warning, or if a subsequent violation within the tournament phase (i.e. Qualifications or Playoffs),

TECH FOUL

applied to their upcoming

MATCH

. If the

DRIVE TEAM

is not

MATCH

ready within 2 minutes of the verbal warning/

TECH FOUL

and the Head

REFEREE

perceives no good faith effort by the

DRIVE TEAM

to quickly become

MATCH

ready,

DISABLED

The intent of this rule is to provide an equitable amount of time for both

ALLIANCES

to prepare for each

MATCH

and give

DRIVE TEAMS

grace given extenuating circumstances that causes them to be late.

Once a verbal warning/

TECH FOUL

is issued, the Head

REFEREE

starts a 2-minute timer and makes a good faith effort to share the timer’s status with the delaying

DRIVE TEAM

Being “

MATCH

ready” requires that the

ROBOT

is on the

FIELD

, in its

STARTING CONFIGURATION

, and turned on. Additionally, the

DRIVE TEAM

members must be in their starting positions.

In general, good faith efforts to quickly become

MATCH

ready are entirely for the purposes of transitioning the

ROBOT

into a

MATCH

ready state (i.e. not attempts to significantly alter a

ROBOT

’s capabilities.) Examples of good faith efforts to quickly become

MATCH

ready include but are not limited to:

a. walking safely towards the
FIELD
with a
ROBOT
that a team is not actively modifying,
b. applying quick fixes such as tape or cable ties to make the
ROBOT
compliant with
STARTING CONFIGURATION
requirements,
c. waiting for an
OPERATOR CONSOLE
computer to boot, and
d. working with
FIELD STAFF
to get the
ROBOT
connected to the
FIELD
.

Examples that are not considered good faith efforts to quickly become

MATCH

ready include but are not limited to:

e. a
ROBOT
not moving to the
FIELD
,
f. a
ROBOT
moving to the
FIELD
but being actively modified while doing so,
g. a
DRIVE TEAM
member remaining on the
FIELD
once a
MATCH
is ready to begin (indicated by the green LEDs having turned off),
h. installing
BUMPERS
, charging pneumatic systems, or any other
ROBOT
maintenance not considered a quick fix as described in item b above once on the
FIELD
, and
i. time-consuming use of alignment devices that are external to the
ROBOT
(e.g. a
DRIVE TEAM
could bring and use a measuring tape, as long as there is no delay to the
MATCH
by doing so)

There are no rules that prohibit use of hand tools (including battery operated tools) while setting up

ROBOTS

from the

FIELD

, provided they do not cause significant delay or cause safety concerns.

H302 *Teams may not enable their
Robots
on the
Field
.

Teams may not tether to the

ROBOT

while on the

FIELD

except in special circumstances (e.g. after Opening Ceremonies, before an immediate

MATCH

replay, etc.) and with the express permission from the

FTA

or a

REFEREE

Violation:

YELLOW CARD

Teams are encouraged to consider this rule when developing their

ROBOTS

FMS

will not enable

ROBOTS

after the conclusion of the

MATCH

Tethering includes any wired or wireless connection used to electrically energize and/or

control

elements on the

ROBOT

. The safety of teams and volunteers in close proximity to

ROBOTS

and

ARENA

elements on the

FIELD

is of the utmost importance, therefore

ROBOTS

ROBOT

COMPONENTS

may not be enabled in any way on the

FIELD

before or after the

MATCH

ROBOTS

need to be safely transported off the

FIELD

and back to the pits after the

MATCH

, and there may be bystanders, doorways, or height restrictions along the route.

H303 *You can’t bring/use anything you want.

The only equipment that may be brought to the

ARENA

and used by

DRIVE TEAMS

during a

MATCH

is listed below. Regardless of if equipment fits criteria below, it may not be employed in a way that breaks any other rules, introduces a safety hazard, blocks visibility for

FIELD STAFF

or audience members, or jams or interferes with the remote sensing capabilities of another team or the

FIELD

A. the
OPERATOR CONSOLE
,
B. non-powered signaling devices,
C. reasonable decorative items,
D. special clothing and/or equipment required due to a disability,
E. devices used solely for planning, tracking, and communicating strategy within the same designated area (e.g.
ALLIANCE AREA
),
F. devices used solely to record gameplay, and
G. non-powered Personal Protective Equipment (examples include, but aren’t limited to, gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection)

Items brought to the

ARENA

under allowances B-G must meet all following conditions:

I. do not connect or attach to the

OPERATOR CONSOLE

FIELD

, or

ARENA

II. do not connect or attach to another

ALLIANCE

member (other than items in category G),

III. do not communicate with anything or anyone outside of the

ARENA

IV. do not communicate with the

TECHNICIAN

V. do not include any form of enabled wireless electronic communication with the exception of medically required equipment, and

VI. do not in any way affect the outcome of a

MATCH

, other than by allowing the

DRIVE TEAM

a. plan or track strategy for the purposes of communication of that strategy to other

ALLIANCE

members or

b. use items allowed per B to communicate with the

ROBOT

Violation:

MATCH

will not start until situation remedied. If discovered or used inappropriately during a

MATCH

YELLOW CARD

Examples of equipment that may be considered a safety hazard in the confined space of the

ALLIANCE AREA

include, but are not limited to, a step stool or a large signaling device.

Examples of remote sensing capabilities include, but are not limited to, vision systems, acoustic range finders, sonars, and infrared proximity sensors.

Use of imagery that, to a reasonably astute observer, mimics the Vision Targets employed on the

FIELD

is a violation of this rule.

Examples of wireless communication include, but are not limited to, radios, walkie-talkies, cell phones, Bluetooth communications, and Wi-Fi.

H304 *By invitation only.

Only

DRIVE TEAMS

for the current

MATCH

are allowed in their respective

ALLIANCE AREAS

and

SUBSTATION

AREAS.

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected.

H305 *Show up to your
Matches
.

Upon each team’s

ROBOT

passing initial, complete inspection, the team must send at least 1 member of its

DRIVE TEAM

to the

ARENA

and participate in each of the team’s assigned Qualification and Playoff

MATCHES

Violation:

RED CARD

Figure 8‑1

MATCH

participation flowchart

The team should inform the lead team queuer if the team’s

ROBOT

is not able to participate.

H306 *Identify yourself.

DRIVE TEAMS

must wear proper identification while in the

ARENA

. Proper identification consists of:

A. all
DRIVE TEAM
members wearing their designated buttons above the waist in a clear visible location at all times while in the
ARENA
B. the
COACH
wearing the “
COACH
” button
C. the
DRIVERS
and
HUMAN PLAYERS
each wearing a “
DRIVE TEAM
” button
D. the
TECHNICIAN
wearing the “
TECHNICIAN
” button
E. during a Playoff
MATCH
, the
ALLIANCE CAPTAIN
clearly displaying the designated
ALLIANCE CAPTAIN
identifier (e.g. hat or armband)

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected. Those not displaying identification must leave the

ARENA

H307 *Plug in to/be in your
Driver Station
.

The

OPERATOR CONSOLE

must be used in the

DRIVER STATION

to which the team is assigned, as indicated on the team sign.

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected. If during a

MATCH

DISABLED

An intent of this rule is to prevent unsafe situations where long tethers to

OPERATOR CONSOLE

devices increase tripping hazards as the operator moves about the

ALLIANCE AREA

. In the interest of avoiding nuisance penalties associated with a

DRIVE TEAM

member stepping outside of a prescribed area, we prefer to offer a general guideline as to what it means to use the

OPERATOR CONSOLE

in the

ALLIANCE AREA

. Provided the

DRIVE TEAM

member is within close proximity of their

DRIVER STATION

, there will be no repercussions. However, a

Drive Team

member located more than approximately half a

DRIVER STATION

width away from their own

DRIVER STATION

while using their

OPERATOR CONSOLE

is likely violating this rule.

H308 *Don’t bang on the glass.

Team members may never strike or hit the

DRIVER STATION

plastic windows.

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations in more than 1

MATCH

YELLOW CARD

H309 Know your
Robot
setup.

When placed on the

FIELD

for a

MATCH

, each

ROBOT

must be:

A. in compliance with all
ROBOT
rules, i.e. has passed inspection (for exceptions regarding Practice
MATCHES
, see Section 10 Inspection & Eligibility Rules),
B. the only team-provided item left on the
FIELD
by the
DRIVE TEAM
,
C. confined to its
STARTING CONFIGURATION
(reference R102 and R104),
D. positioned such that it is fully contained within its
COMMUNITY
E. not in contact with the
CHARGE STATION
F. fully supported by
FIELD
carpet, gaffers tape, and/or cable protector, and
G. fully and solely supporting not more than 1
GAME PIECE
(as described in Section 6.1 Setup).

Violation: If fix is a quick remedy, the

MATCH

won’t start until all requirements are met. If it is not a quick remedy, the offending

ROBOT

will be

DISABLED

and, at the discretion of the Head

REFEREE

, must be re-inspected.

If a

ROBOT

BYPASSED

prior to the start of the

MATCH

, the

DRIVE TEAM

may not remove the

ROBOT

from the

FIELD

without permission from the Head

REFEREE

or the

FTA

H310 Know your
drive team
positions.

Prior to the start of the

MATCH

DRIVE TEAM

members must be positioned as follows:

A.
DRIVERS
: inside their
ALLIANCE AREA
and behind the
STARTING LINE
,
B.
COACHES
: inside their
ALLIANCE AREA
and behind the
STARTING LINE
, and
C.
HUMAN PLAYERS
:
a. at least one
HUMAN PLAYER
in their
SUBSTATION
AREA and behind the
STARTING LINE
,
b. any remaining
HUMAN PLAYERS
: inside their
ALLIANCE AREA
and behind the
STARTING LINE
, and
D.
TECHNICIANS
: in the event-designated area near the
FIELD
.

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected.

H311 Leave the
GAME PIECES
alone.

Prior to the start of the

MATCH

HUMAN PLAYERS

may not rearrange the

GAME PIECES

within the

SUBSTATION

AREA.

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected.

H312 Leave promptly.

DRIVE TEAMS

may not cause significant or multiple delays to the start of a subsequent

MATCH

, scheduled break content, or other

FIELD

activities.

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

8.4 During the
MATCH
:
AUTO

H401 *Behind the lines.

During

AUTO

DRIVE TEAM

members in

ALLIANCE AREAS

and

HUMAN PLAYERS

in their

SUBSTATION

AREAS may not contact anything in front of the

STARTING LINES

, unless for personal or equipment safety or granted permission by a Head

REFEREE

FTA

Violation:

FOUL

Pointing, gesturing, or otherwise extending across the

STARTING LINE

such that contact is not made with carpet or other

ARENA

elements is not a violation of this rule.

An example of an exception for equipment safety is if an

OPERATOR CONSOLE

starts to fall from, or has already fallen off of, the

DRIVER STATION

shelf. In that circumstance,

DRIVE TEAM

members may step forward to catch it or pick it up off the ground and return it to the shelf.

H402 *Disconnect or set down controllers.

Prior to the start of the

MATCH

, any

control

devices worn or held by

HUMAN PLAYERS

and/or

DRIVERS

must be disconnected from the

OPERATOR CONSOLE

Violation:

MATCH

won’t start until the situation is corrected.

For the purposes of FIRST Robotics Competition, any device connected to the

OPERATOR CONSOLE

is considered a

control

device because

REFEREES

are not expected to differentiate between devices that can or cannot

control

the

ROBOT

H403 *Let the
Robot
do its thing.

During

AUTO

DRIVE TEAMS

may not directly or indirectly interact with

ROBOTS

OPERATOR CONSOLES

unless for personal safety,

OPERATOR CONSOLE

safety, or pressing an E-Stop.

Violation:

FOUL

and

YELLOW CARD

8.5 During the
MATCH

H501 *
Coaches
and other teams: hands off the
controls
.

ROBOT

shall be operated only by the

DRIVERS

and/or

HUMAN PLAYERS

of that team.

Violation:

DISABLED

Exceptions may be made before a

MATCH

for major conflicts, e.g. religious holidays, major testing, transportations issues, etc.

H502 *No wandering.

DRIVE TEAMS

may not contact anything outside the area in which they started the

MATCH

(i.e. the

ALLIANCE AREA

, the

SUBSTATION

AREA, or the designated

TECHNICIAN

space). Exceptions are granted for a

HUMAN PLAYER

whose feet are partially outside the

SUBSTATION

AREA (but not in the opponent

ALLIANCE AREA

), in cases concerning safety, and for actions that are inadvertent,

MOMENTARY

, and inconsequential.

Violation:

FOUL

H503 *
Coaches
,
GAME PIECES
are off limits.

COACHES

may not touch

GAME PIECES

, unless for safety purposes.

Violation:

FOUL

per

GAME PIECE

H504
GAME PIECES
through
PORTALS
only.

GAME PIECES

may only be introduced to the

FIELD

A. by a
HUMAN PLAYER
,
B. through a
PORTAL
, and
C. during
TELEOP
.

Violation:

FOUL

per

GAME PIECES

H505
Drive Teams
, watch your reach.

DRIVE TEAMS

may not extend any body part into the

SINGLE SUBSTATION

PORTAL

for a greater-than-MOMENTARY period of time.

Violation:

FOUL

H506
Drive Teams
, avoid
ROBOTS
.

DRIVE TEAM

member may neither

A. extend any body part into a

PORTAL

while any part of a

ROBOT

is in that

PORTAL

nor

B. contact a

GAME PIECE

in contact with a

ROBOT

Violation: Verbal warning. If subsequent violations at any point during the event,

YELLOW CARD

7 Game Rules: ROBOTS

9 ROBOT Construction Rules

The rules listed below explicitly address legal parts and materials and how those parts and materials may be used on a CHARGED UP ROBOT. A ROBOT is an electromechanical assembly built by the FIRST Robotics Competition team to play the current season’s game and includes all the basic systems required to be an active participant in the game –power, communications, control, BUMPERS, and movement about the FIELD. A BUMPER is a protective assembly designed to attach to the exterior of the ROBOT and constructed as specified in Section 9.4 BUMPER Rules.

8 Game Rules: Humans