[EricH]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

It would be helpful not just for flying robots, it could prevent any possible runaway robots from leaving the arena.

In my time in FIRST (since 2003), I've only seen 1 robot completely leave the arena; other than that, they've tipped on the barrier or it's been an arm outside, with only one arm uncontrolled. The netting isn't needed.

The one robot I saw leave the arena behind was during a practice day, before the shielding was added to the guardrails. Instead, there was a cable running the length of the field. This particular team had a low, fast robot, and in autonomous it went over the ramp (2003), took a left, and headed under the stands before anybody could hit the E-stop--right between the angle and the cable. Now there's polycarbonate shielding all along the guardrail. No further incidents of that sort.