[jcarr]

As long as it stays connected by a string or wire, it is not detached. However, rule <Rg03>d. - risk of entanglement - may come into play. However, last year's Inspire award winners, the Landroids, had peices that would be detached from the base of the robot and connected via string to the lift. There was certainly the risk of entanglement, but it was allowed. Because the string was short enough and vertical, it was difficult for another robot to run over the string and get entangled. If your design has the string on the ground, it is a potential problem. That said, ask the question in the forum for an official answer, but I suspect that it will be left up to the mechanical inspection team and refs to decide if there is a rules violation.