From first idea to combat-ready.
Everything here assumes you are starting from zero: no CAD experience, no soldering experience, maybe no printer. Adapting a proven design is a legitimate first build. Original engineering comes with experience, testing, and iteration.
Parts & cost
The ~$100 electronics kit, the add-on essentials and spares, tools and safety gear, and where to buy.
Open →First-build path
A sequenced path from nothing to a robot that passes inspection. Each phase has a clear completion check.
Open →Design
The design process, twelve proven archetypes with difficulty ratings, free CAD tools, and design-for-repair thinking.
Open →Electronics
Wiring the core: receiver, ESCs, motors, battery, switch, power light. Soldering, fail-safe setup, binding.
Open →3D printing
Legal materials, slicer settings that survive hits, print orientation, and where to print if you don’t own a printer.
Open →Assembly
The five-step assembly sequence, motor mounting and wheel retention, and fastening 3D-printed parts.
Open →Testing
Binding, fail-safe setup and verification, smoke-stopper first power, and the pre-competition test protocol.
Open →Troubleshooting
Systematic diagnosis, key measurements, and symptom-to-fix tables for electrical, mechanical, and radio problems.
Open →Test box
The containment standard for powered testing at events and away from events.
Open →The build loop
The whole sport in five arrows, the same loop whether it’s your first bot or your tenth:
Dream → Design → Build → Battle → Level up
Every event feeds the next build. Your robot’s career card records its fights, results, rating, XP, and badges, so you can see what worked and what to improve. And the XP system pays you for showing up to find out.