Not quite! 

More like the TV show, Battlebots®! Except much smaller, safer, and more affordable at a local level. 

Combat robotics is a competitive hobby where machines fight against each other using various weaponry, armor, and driving techniques with the goal of disabling your opponent. There are many different weight classes to compete in, ranging from 150g (lighter than a cell phone), up to 12lb and 30lb at larger competitions. For more info, check out the robot combat wiki!

Absolutely! This was the main motivator behind our 150g fairyweight combat robot kit, ZipZop! The best way to start in robotics is by diving right in with some hands-on experience. 

ZipZop is intentionally designed to be the easiest introduction to robot combat, that requires 0 prior technical knowledge or experience to build. Once you’ve built your bot, you can continue to learn from and upgrade your kit indefinitely. We have a free series of YouTube videos and written guides that accompany the ZipZop kit, that walk you through the build, 3D modeling in OnShape, and more!

Beginners who start with a ZipZop kit save themselves around 6 months compared to builders who attempt building their first bot on their own. There’s A LOT to learn when it comes to combat robotics, and starting with a kit can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration. We’ve used our 15+ years of engineering and robotics experience to make a kit that you can build and start driving in just 1 hour!

A great way to start is by joining a combat robotics group, like our Discord!

For your first build, we highly recommend starting by building a kit! We designed our 150g fairyweight kit, ZipZop, to be the perfect starting point for beginners!

Kits are a great starting point as they can be modified practically indefinitely.  ZipZop can be built in under an hour, is intentionally designed to be super easy to upgrade, and comes with everything you need to be set up for success in this hobby!

Once you build your first bot, find a tournament near you to compete in! This site hosts nearly all global tournament registrations: robotcombatevents.com

Linked below are some of our favorite resources for learning and building:

Robot Combat Wiki - Consolidated information on everything from rules, weight classes, kits, suppliers, and more!

Just 'Cuz Robotics - YouTube videos on building, competing, and more!

Maker's Muse - YouTube videos on building and 3D printing

Havoc Rundown - Database on everything combat robotics

For more questions about getting started in robot combat, join our Discord!

Tournaments are generally open to ANYONE! 

Whether you're a 6-year-old first time builder or a seasoned Battlebots veteran, the community will be happy to have you! You do NOT have to be an engineer or come with a perfectly destructive bot - you can even compete with a kit, like this one!

Find a tournament near you at robotcombatevents.com.

Rules may vary between event organizers and by region. The SPARC ruleset is the most commonly used ruleset.

Basic overview: Two robots have 3 minutes to out-drive, damage, and ultimately disable their opponent. The match ends when one robot is no longer able to move. If the match goes the full 3 minutes, judges will determine a winner based on the robots’ performance during the match. 

Some arenas have a ‘pit,’ that robots can be pushed into (or can accidentally fall into), and if the bot can’t escape the pit, they lose that match.

Most tournaments are run double elimination style, so each bot can lose two matches before they are out of the tournament. The goal is to keep winning enough matches to make it to the top of your bracket!

Find a tournament near you at robotocombatevents.com! 

You can absolutely attend competitions without competing! Find a competition near you at robotcombatevents.com and unless stated otherwise, spectators are welcome to attend! 

Watching a robot combat tournament is genuinely an awesome way to spend time with friends and family. Competitors are often happy to talk about their robots and answer any questions you have, too! 

Yes, a lot of kits ARE competition legal! 

There is no requirement to build anything from scratch! 

All bot kits sold at The Robodome are competition legal in accordance with the SPARC ruleset. Competing with a kit is a great way to gain experience building, driving, and fighting against opponents. As you gain more experience overall, you’ll get more ideas on how you might want to modify or build from scratch! It’s a fantastic way to ease into the sport, and explore the aspects of bot building that interests you; whether it be 3D modeling and printing new parts, swapping in new electrical components, testing out new materials, and more! The possibilities are endless!

A great way to build on a budget is to form a team to split costs! 

Beyond splitting costs among a team, the most affordable weight class to compete in tends to be Plastic Antweight (1lb, fully 3D printed robots, sometimes called PLANTS). If you have a 3D printer or have access to one locally, (many local libraries and makerspaces have 3D printers you can use) you can print lots of low cost bot parts! There’s lots of free plastic antweight bot designs online, as well as kits, too.

150g (Fairyweight) bots can also be made pretty affordably! Maker’s Muse makes great YouTube videos where he challenges himself to make a 150g bot for around $100. 

This hobby is all about creative engineering - there’s still a ton of possibilities on a budget!

Most common at local tournaments:

• Fairyweight (150g)
• Plastic Antweight (1lb, 3D printed parts. Sometimes called PLANTs or Plastic Ants.)
• Antweight (1lb)
• Beetleweight (3lb)

And sometimes up to: 

• Hobbyweight (12lb)
• Featherweight (30lb)

Robot-wise:

• Your robot
• Controller
• All the tools, hardware, & supplies you use to build & disassemble your robot 
• At least one spare of each part of your robot (if possible)
• Power key (if you have a screw power switch)
• Spare LiPo batteries
• LiPo battery charger
• LiPo charging bag
• Duct tape 
• Super glue
• Hot glue
• Anything else you might be able to use to fix your bot in a pinch! 
• If you have a spinning weapon on your bot, don’t forget a weapon lock! 
  

For yourself:

• Plenty of water
• Snacks
• Ear protection in case it gets loud
• Extension cords can be handy
• Anything else you need or that will keep you comfy for a long day!