Season 2026–27
The rules.
Three documents, all native pages you can link to and search — no PDF hunting. Based on SPARC principles, adapted for a student, plastic-only 1lb class.
v2026–27.1
Construction ruleset
What your robot may be made of: weight, materials, electronics, batteries, weapons, prohibited items.
Read →v2026–27.1
Safety ruleset
Pit safety, battery handling, weapon locks, the functional safety test, load-in and load-out, emergencies.
Read →v2026–27.1
Tournament & match procedures
Eligibility, divisions, match format, how you win, pre- and post-match procedure, judging, disputes.
Read →The short version
| Thing | Rule |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1 lb (454 g). Shufflers 1.25 lb, non-traditional 1.5 lb, walkers 2 lb. |
| Structure | 3D-printed PET, PETG, ABS, PLA, PLA+, or ASA. No metal or composite structure. |
| TPU | Banned — except drive and weapon belts. |
| Power cap | 3S — the cap shown on every event class listing. Battery contained inside the chassis, removed after every match, stored in a LiPo-safe bag. |
| Drive | Brushed motors only (MS/HS divisions). Brushless weapon motors are fine. |
| Weapon | Brushless permitted. Tip speed under 250 mph. Bright, physical lock whenever the robot is out of the arena. |
| Radio | 2.4 GHz with a working fail-safe. No toy radios, no Bluetooth. |
| Match | 2 minutes. Win by KO, tap-out, or judges’ decision (damage, control, aggression). |
| Divisions | Always MS (7–8) and HS (9–12); MS may play up. Select events add an OPEN division (all ages, standard SPARC rules). |
| Forbidden | Fire, explosives, liquids, projectiles, entanglement, electrical weapons, RF jamming, pneumatics, hydraulics. |
This table is a summary for orientation. The three rulesets are authoritative where they differ.