Competitions explained

School robotics competitions give a club a date to work toward, and that deadline is often what turns a pile of parts into a working robot. Around the world the common challenge types are similar: robots that play a simplified game of soccer, robots that follow a line and complete a rescue course, and robots that perform on stage with dance or theatre.

This page and the notes below explain those formats in general terms so teachers and parents know what they are getting into. We do not run any competition, publish rules, list dates or venues, or take entries. Competitions are run by their own organisers, and each one publishes its own current rules; if you are looking for a particular event in New Zealand, search for it by name and use the organisers' own information.

1. Read the current rules first. Rules change from year to year; plan your robot around this year's version, not last year's.
2. Build for reliability. A slower robot that finishes every run usually beats a fast one that sometimes doesn't.
3. Practise the interview. Many events ask students to explain how their robot works. Let the students do the talking.