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What is FRC?

What is FRC?

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a global high school robotics competition that combines the excitement of sport with the rigor of science and technology. Each year teams of students design, build, and program a human-sized robot to play a brand-new game revealed yearly in January. Along the way, students learn STEM skills, project management, and teamwork while working shoulder-to-shoulder with mentors.

How the competition works

  • Teams compete in alliances of three robots, so collaboration is as important as competition.
  • A new game each year means every season is a fresh design challenge.
  • Robots are student-built and programmed under tight time and weight constraints.
  • Events run like sporting tournaments, with qualification matches, playoffs, and awards for engineering, outreach, and teamwork.

What is Build Season?

Build season starts in early January with the global game reveal and runs through late February. During this sprint we meet five days each week to:

  • Brainstorm strategy and robot concepts
  • Prototype and CAD mechanisms
  • Fabricate parts and wire the robot
  • Write, test, and refine code for autonomous and tele-op modes

The Sydney regional competition takes place in mid-March, where the robot and drive team are put to the test.

What is Off Season?

Off season runs from after the Sydney regional until the next game reveal. We use this time to:

  • Improve the current robot and learn new skills
  • Compete at off-season events, sometimes interstate or overseas
  • Onboard new students and mentors
  • Build sponsorship, run outreach, and prepare for the next season

In some years we have travelled to international competitions in Canada or the USA after the regional finals.

Want to get involved?

If you are a student interested in joining, head to Join the team. If you are a company or community supporter who wants to back STEM education, visit Sponsors to see how you can help.